“After attending interaction workshop of traditional healers organized by Brooke-AHTCS, I felt that the contents of discussion were knowledgeable and relevant to our work. After workshop, I have referred three cases of colic to the veterinarian for treatment and indeed the animal healed within thirty minutes. Then I believed old school of thoughts and perceptions are not enough to build trust with equine owners. In this way, I am adopting appropriate treatment methodology and referring cases to the trained professionals.” Mr. Bhupendra Ghimire, 32, lives in Namsaling VDC ward no.2, Ilam. He is a well-known traditional healer in the village. He has been in this job for last ten years and works with both human and animals. He learned this healing technique from his senior. He does not have much problems to fulfill basic needs of the family and he has kept a horse for household purpose. He shares his experience and says that there were no any hospitals or doctors in the village in earlier days for both human and animal’s treatment and people used to come to traditional healers. People had strong belief towards those healers. In this way he became attracted in this job and adopted traditional treatment methods.

He has been seeing many health camps for equids in the village since Brooke-AHTCS started intervention in Ilam. Even he had taken his equine for the treatment but was skeptic on the drugs provided and treatment done by AHTCS’ veterinarian and technicians. He had no positive thoughts at all on scientific treatment and drugs but when he came in contact with Brooke-AHTCS staff and attended traditional healer’s workshop he got opportunity to understand the benefit of welfare friendly scientific treatment and use of drugs and drawbacks of traditional methodology. He was then convinced and realized that the traditional healing methods can be harmful to the animals and humans. Nowadays he refers cases to the veterinarian and trained technician and also suggest owners to know about diseases and use of drugs if equine owner come to him for the treatment of their animals.