Perceptions of traditional health practitioners and radiation oncologists regarding referral of cancer patients in a cooperative practice in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa

The traditional health practitioners referred patients to the hospital and not the radiations oncologists and there was no referral from the radiation oncologists. Both parties value cooperative practice but were still wrestling with traditional health practitioners' own locally developed practices of traditional medicine use. Traditional health practitioners were willing to provide evidence of their practices in order to demonstrate their role and practices in cancer treatment. They suggested other strategies to ensure a working relationship and patients' referral.