Objective: Educate rural Ugandans that Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a scientific disorder, not contagious or the result of anything mystical

Background: People with PD (PWP) in this country are abandoned and shunned by society because they are touched by BUKO (Witchcraft)[ref.1,2]. They face a miserable life and disrespected death. This is done to save others from contracting Buko.

Method:  AWARENESS SEMINARS It has simply never occurred to many that Parkinson’s is anything but Witchcraft [fig.1]  TRAINING We train medical personnel and Village Health Workers (VHW) to diagnose using Stanford Medical methods. VHW stay in their village and very respected. Each will erase the myth as they care for people with PD [fig.2]  ACCESS TO RESOURCES Our clinic, VHS and seminars teach people about PD so they don’t visit the local witchdoctor. It is estimated that there are 3 million traditional healers, but only 11 neurologists in all of Uganda [ref.3]  MEDIA Radio interviews and advertising campaigns have people asking: “If it isn’t Buko, then what IS it?”

Results: After four years attitudes have changed toward PWP. When abandoned, our trained personnel recognize the problem and often welcome PWP into their own homes. In the few instances medication has been available, the results are similar to the norm…except Ugandans are likely to share the meds with others. Good case scenarios: families no longer try to remove members, or are welcoming back those who were ostracized. Best case scenarios: we can provide medication to those clients.

Conclusion: When a venue is accessible by foot, rural Ugandans accept the science behind Parkinson’s Disease. Children are changing societal attitudes[fig.3]. We believe these methods will finally bring the myth of PD as Buko to an end in the next few years.

education/awareness through printed handouts

trainings end with examinations of local residents

children are everywhere and always interested!

positive results, background and ongoing work

References: ref: [1]Prevalence and incidence of neurological disorders among adult Ugandans in rural and urban
Mukono district; a cross-sectional study (2016) Kaddumukasa,et al; [2]Parkinson’s Disease Research
on the African Continent: Obstacles and Opportunities Marieke C. J. Dekker, et al; [3] Ugandan
Ministry of Health

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/can-we-rid-uganda-of-the-societal-myth-that-parkinsons-disease-is-witchcraft/