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Background: Traditional healers play a significant role in Sub-Saharan Africa's healthcare system, but little is known about their role across the cancer care continuum in this context. Given the prevalence of patients consulting healers, we aimed to elucidate their role and impact on cancer care delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa., Methods: Following the PRISMA reporting standards, all research focused on the role of traditional healers in the cancer care continuum in sub-Saharan Africa was included in this scoping review. Data sources assessed include PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Scopus, Sociological Abstracts, African Journals Online, African Index Medicus, and Google Scholar. Studies that lacked perspectives on the healers' role, focused solely on the actual herbal medicines, were written in non-English language, were not primary research, or the full-text was unavailable were excluded. Two reviewers performed screening and data extraction for each article, confirmed by a third reviewer., Results: One thousand four hundred seventy-one studies were identified, with 1437 screened and 191 full-texts reviewed. Of those, 158 were excluded, and 33 (comprising of 1564 healers) were included for final data extraction and analysis. Five studies (64 healers) showed their role in prevention, eleven (454 healers) in diagnosis, twenty-seven (1524 healers) in treatment, and two (25 healers) in palliative care in Sub-Saharan Africa. While some desired increased collaboration with the biomedical system and referred patients, others lacked trust and remained hesitant to provide referrals., Conclusion: Results showed that traditional healers play an important role in cancer treatment. This provides an opportunity to leverage the skills of traditional healers to improve cancer outcomes, in a way that recognizes and respects local culture. Future research focused on improving the collaboration between traditional healers and the biomedical healthcare system may lead to strengthening the referral system and early detection and treatment of cancer., Registration:  This study was registered on PROSPERO, CRD42022293055., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable Consent for publication: Not applicable Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To identify, measure and value the economic burden of musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders in the Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania., Design: Community-based cross-sectional survey (undertaken between January and September 2021)., Setting: Hai district, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania., Participants: Households resident in the Hai district., Methods: A two-stage cluster sampling was used to select a representative sample of all Hai district residents. Clinical screening tools were used to identify and measure MSK disorders through a tiered approach. An economic questionnaire measuring healthcare costs, out-of-pocket costs, absenteeism, presenteeism and work productivity loss was administered to those with likely MSK disorders and selected controls (individuals without MSK disorders, matched by age and gender). Resource use was valued using country-specific costs. Two-part model regressions were fitted. A descriptive analysis of catastrophic expenditure was also conducted., Main Outcome Measure: Healthcare costs, productivity costs and total costs., Results: Annual average productivity and healthcare costs were, respectively, 3.5 and 3 times higher for those with likely MSK disorders than controls. Productivity costs of individuals with MSK disorders were Int$487 vs Int$132 in the control group (difference: Int$355, 95% CI Int$222 to Int$488). Healthcare costs in those with MSK were Int$269 vs Int$88 in the control group (difference: Int$181, 95% CI Int$34 to Int$327). The difference in terms of out-of-pocket expenses was economically substantial in magnitude, although not statistically significant., Conclusion: The evidence will be used to inform policies addressing MSK disorders, by promoting the design of interventions, service provision, health promotion and awareness activities at local, regional and national level., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ Group.)