Been to see your health practitioner‚ received a sick note booking you off work and the boss rejects it? Many South Africans consult traditional healers and‚ although recognised as an alternative to Western medicine‚ this category of health practitioner has largely been unregulated‚ according to an Eastern Cape company.

It recently launched a web based application eDoctorsNOTE to validate sick notes from health practitioners to employers.

The government has‚ for a number of years‚ been working on establishing traditional health practitioners’ organisation but it is work in progress.

This situation “leaves traditional healers out in the cold … traditional healers’ certificates are not considered valid medical certificates under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act”‚ according to Leverage Point’s Duke Mpapele‚ who set up the website.

The site is an attempt to deal with this problem but‚ although the company will work with all healthcare practitioners‚ it will only do so if they are registered.