Acupuncture in Uganda: A Research Letter on the Integration of Acupuncture With Conventional Biomedical Treatments

The PanAfrican Acupuncture Project (PAAP) was created in 2001 and is a volunteer-based not-for-profit training organization. It encourages community empowerment and wellness through training local healthcare providers how to use simple, effective acupuncture protocols to treat the symptoms of HIV/ AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other chronic conditions. A manual explains the theory of acupuncture and the techniques associated with it in clear and simple terms with specific acupuncture protocols associated with the signs and symptoms of illnesses commonly seen in Uganda. PAAP maintains contact with the trainees to provide ongoing support through: (1) three week-long meetings per year, (2) ongoing contact with the PAAP local coordinator, and (3) electronic communications including email, text messaging, and Facebook communication. A primary focus is to help integrate acupuncture into the local context and current public-health system. This is accomplished by working with local governmental and nongovernmental agencies and healthcare facilities to improve access to and effectiveness of care through collaboration with Western and traditional healthcare modalities. The integration of acupuncture and other traditional complementary and alternative medicines (TCAMs) in the international public health sector at the level of local health workers can increase access to treatment in a sustainable manner while also building the confidence and self-worth of the public health-care practitioners.