Homeopathic health care in a low-income housing estate in Durban : possibilities for a Plural Health Care Model in South Africa

Abstract

Homeopathy is often seen in contrast to the dominant model of public allopathic medicine. A case study of a free homeopathic community clinic in a low-income housing estate in Durban, South Africa, suggests that a more productive model for addressing community health and wellness should see homeopathy as part of the solution to affordable public healthcare. Drawing on short structured interviews and clinician data, this paper analyses community responses to the clinic. In the context of South Africa’s ailing public health system, a pluralistic approach extends the benefits of choice, accessibility, affordability, and a focus on the individual as user.