COVID-19 has caused worldwide fear and uncertainty. Historically, the biomedical disease paradigm established its dominance in tackling emerging infectious illnesses mainly due to innovation in medication and advances in technology. Traditional and religious remedies have emerged as plausible options for prevention and treatment of COVID-19, especially in Africa and Asia. The appeal of religious and traditional therapies against COVID-19 in the African setting must be understood within the historical, social, and political context. This study explored how women and community members dealt with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 in Mwanza, Tanzania. This study was conducted in Nyamagana and Ilemela districts of Mwanza, Tanzania, between July and August 2020. We conducted 18 mobile phone in-depth interviews with a purposively selected sample of women aged 27–57 years participating in an existing longitudinal study. For safety reasons, smart mobile phones were used to collect the data. Each interview was audio recorded after obtaining verbal consent from the participants. The audio files were transferred to computers for analysis. Four researchers conducted a multistage, inductive analysis of the data. Participants reported wide use and perceived high efficacy of traditional remedies and prayer to prevent and treat suspected symptoms of COVID-19. Use was either alone or combined with public health recommendations such as hand washing and crowd avoidance. Despite acknowledging that a pathogen causes COVID-19, participants attested to the relevance and power of traditional herbal medication and prayer to curb COVID-19. Four main factors underline the symbolic efficacy of the traditional and religious treatment paradigms: personal, communal, and official reinforcement of their efficacy; connection to local knowledge and belief systems; the failure of biomedicine to offer a quick and effective solution; and availability. In the context of emerging contagious illnesses, communities turn to resilient and trusted treatment paradigms to quell fear and embrace hope. To tackle emerging infections effectively, it is essential to engage the broader sociopolitical landscape, including communal considerations of therapeutic efficacy.

中文翻译：

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有争议或互补的治疗范例？坦桑尼亚姆万扎妇女对COVID-19补救措施的叙述

COVID-19引起了全世界的恐惧和不确定性。从历史上看，生物医学疾病范例主要是在药物创新和技术进步的基础上确立了其在应对新兴传染病方面的主导地位。传统和宗教疗法已成为预防和治疗COVID-19的合理选择，尤其是在非洲和亚洲。必须在历史，社会和政治背景下理解针对非洲环境的针对COVID-19的宗教和传统疗法的吸引力。这项研究探讨了妇女和社区成员如何处理坦桑尼亚姆万扎（Mwanza）的COVID-19疑似症状。这项研究是在2020年7月至2020年8月之间在坦桑尼亚姆万扎的Nyamagana和Ilemela地区进行的。我们进行了18次手机深度访谈，针对性地选择了参与现有纵向研究的27-57岁女性样本。出于安全原因，使用智能手机来收集数据。在获得参与者的口头同意后，每次采访都被录音。音频文件已传输到计算机进行分析。四名研究人员对数据进行了多阶段的归纳分析。参加者报告说，传统疗法和祈祷疗法广泛使用并被认为具有很高的疗效，可预防和治疗COVID-19的可疑症状。可以单独使用，也可以结合使用公共卫生建议，例如洗手和避免人群。尽管承认病原体会导致COVID-19，参与者证明了传统草药和遏制COVID-19祈祷的相关性和力量。四个主要因素强调了传统和宗教治疗范式的象征功效：个人，社区和官方对其功效的加强；与当地知识和信仰系统的联系；生物医学未能提供快速有效的解决方案；和可用性。在出现传染性疾病的背景下，社区转向有韧性和可信赖的治疗范例，以平息恐惧并怀抱希望。为了有效地应对新出现的感染，至关重要的是参与更广泛的社会政治环境，包括治疗效果的公共考虑。公共和官方加强其效力；与当地知识和信仰系统的联系；生物医学未能提供快速有效的解决方案；和可用性。在出现传染性疾病的背景下，社区转向有韧性和可信赖的治疗范例，以平息恐惧并怀抱希望。为了有效地应对新出现的感染，至关重要的是参与更广泛的社会政治环境，包括治疗效果的公共考虑。公共和官方加强其效力；与当地知识和信仰系统的联系；生物医学未能提供快速有效的解决方案；和可用性。在出现传染性疾病的背景下，社区转向有韧性和可信赖的治疗范例，以平息恐惧并怀抱希望。为了有效地应对新出现的感染，至关重要的是参与更广泛的社会政治环境，包括治疗效果的公共考虑。