Objective: To explore the experience of alternative healing practices by people with Parkinson’s disease in Kenya.

Background: As a neurodegenerative condition, Parkinson’s disease (PD) requires life-long therapy. Levodopa is the most effective biomedical treatment for the management of symptoms. However, levodopa is often not available, affordable or accessible, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), such as Kenya [1]. Scarcity of levodopa, coupled with stigmatising perceptions about the cause of Parkinson’s [2], has been suggested to contribute to the utilization of alternative healing.

Method: A qualitative, ethnographic study was conducted over 10 months (2018-2019), involving 55 people with PD, 23 caregivers and 3 herbal healers across Kenya.

Results: Twenty-two participants used religious or herbal healing to manage PD, sometimes in combination with sporadic biomedical treatment. The most important reason for interactions with herbalists was faith in a “cure” outside of biomedicine; prayers were used to rid the “curse” causing PD. ‘Traditional’ therapies included herbs, leaves, roots, seeds, honeys, oils, teas, often in addition to prayers and healing events. ‘Commercialised’ herbalists incorporated the use of acupuncture, supplements, vitamins, Chinese medicines, and “modern” medical equipment in their treatment. The three herbal clinics reported to have seen and cured PD patients on a regular basis, describing it as “one of the easy ones to cure”. Alternative healing was marketed aggressively and, interestingly, was deemed expensive, often costing more than levodopa.

Conclusion: The limited availability of levodopa coupled with desperation, vulnerability, beliefs about cause of disease, promises of a cure and people’s religious faith contributed to participants seeking out alternative therapies. In contrast to the inaccessibility of biomedical services, herbalists and religious healers were widely available (but not necessarily affordable), marketed their services aggressively and gave hope of a cure. The availability and affordability of levodopa needs to improve in LMICs to ensure effective disease management and prevent the financial burden and potential ineffectiveness associated with the use of certain alternative therapies. Having said that, research is ongoing into the efficacy and safety of Mucuna pruriens as an alternative, affordable treatment for PD in LMICs [3].

References: [1] Mokaya, J., Dotchin, C., Gray, W.K., Hooker, J. and Walker, R. (2016) ‘The accessibility of Parkinson’s disease medication in Kenya: Results of a national survey’, Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, 3(4), pp. 376-381.

[2] Kaddumukasa, M., Kakooza, A., Kaddumukasa, MN., Ddumba, E., Mugenyi, L., Sajatovic, M. and Katabira, E. (2015) ‘Knowledge and attitudes of Parkinson’s disease in rural and urban Mukono District, Uganda: A cross-sectional, community-based study’, Parkinson’s Disease, 2015, pp. 1–7.

[3] Fothergill-Misbah, N., Maroo, H., Cham, M., Pezzoli, G., Walker, R. and Cilia, R. (2020) ‘Could Mucuna pruriens be the answer to Parkinson’s disease management in sub-Saharan Africa and other low-income countries worldwide?’, Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, 73, pp. 3-7.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/use-of-alternative-healing-for-parkinsons-disease-in-kenya/