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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged African governments to expand the role of traditional healers in the continent's anti-AIDS efforts.
According to the UN health agency, the practitioners were respected and well-placed to discourage risky traditional practices in communities, such as skin piercing, circumcision and tattooing with unsterilised equipment.
In a statement marking African Traditional Medicine Day, WHO regional director for Africa Luis Sambo said, "It is well known that the use of ... non-sterilised instruments may result in HIV infection or hepatitis transmission."
WHO said HIV/AIDS was a major challenge, which claimed at least two million lives in sub-Saharan Africa every year.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions