Based on my PhD ethnographic fieldwork experience in Bangladesh, I discuss the position and role of faith healing practitioners in mental disorder tenement and their perceived relationship with formal biomedical practitioners. According to the 2019 National Mental Health Survey, 18.7% of adults in the population have some sort of mental disorder which is the highest among 60 years above population, with a rate of 20% (NIMH, 2019). Since 2017 the government has instructed all tertiary medical colleges and district-level hospitals to have two AMC practitioners (from Ayurveda, Unani, and Homeopathy) providing care (MOHFW, 2017). However, most AMC positions are vacant or inactive and unspecified of specialisation. Faith healing practices are out of consideration in AMC practices and remain informal as merged with the term 'traditional healers', which I find problematic in research. Generally, the healthcare-seeking tendency is to look for care from traditional and faith healers for mental disorders before going for recognised medical practitioners. Most formal medical practitioners consider faith healing a 'waste of money/time'. Medical anthropologists have noted the inadequacy of biomedicine in understanding beliefs and healing beyond science and rationality (Khan, 2017, Callan 2012) and ignorance of other healing practices. The 'unknowing' of faith healing is common among Bangladesh's mainstream health practitioners. However, as I observed, many biomedical practitioners suggest or allow their patients to seek treatment from faith/religious healers, acknowledging belief over knowledge/science (Tambiah 1990). Such 'knowing' of faith healing becomes evident when patients with mental disorders (and their relatives) and formal practitioners reach the edge of uncertainty with the cure. I analyse the context when faith healing comes into consideration for a biomedical practitioner. How do both sides view their role and necessity in mental disorder treatment for patients? I also analyse the scope of integrating faith healing practices in the present healthcare delivery system.
