Kampala, Uganda | Xinhua | At the China-Uganda Friendship Hospital in Uganda’s capital Kampala, 40-year-old Naome Kayongo joins the procession, a familiar ritual for her as she seeks healing. She is one of a growing number of patients seeking acupuncture, a traditional Chinese treatment, in hopes of restoring movement to her paralyzed right hand.
Each needle inserted into Kayongo’s body symbolizes a glimmer of hope.
Ancient Chinese acupuncture is gaining popularity in the East African country. As Chinese senior acupuncturist Weiwei carefully inserts needles, Ugandan nurse Stella Apio watches intently and learns from his specialist.
Wei is part of a Chinese medical team on a one-year assignment at the China-Uganda Friendship Hospital. Under Wei’s guidance, Apio gives Kayongo moxibustion, a type of acupuncture. In China, acupuncture is usually performed by doctors, but Apio aspires to become certified in traditional Chinese medicine therapy.
China has been sending medical professionals, including acupuncturists, to Uganda since 1983 as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s health care. This cooperation extends in both directions, with many Ugandan medical professionals also visiting China for training and exchanges.
Apio was one of the health workers selected by the Ugandan government last year for a three-week training program in Beijing. In her recent interview with Xinhua, she talked about her experience being admitted to a hospital in the Chinese capital where acupuncture is the main treatment. This experience strengthened her optimism that over time she would be able to master the complex art of acupuncture.
“The acupuncture room in China is different from here, it’s spacious and has a lot of machines. We received some machines from China and are using them,” Apio said.
Mr. Wei, who has been practicing medicine for 24 years, said that mastering acupuncture requires long training. She highlighted its effectiveness for both young and elderly people suffering from various ailments such as stroke and back pain.
The clinic is open two days each week and sees an average of about 15 patients per day, Apio said. Patients usually receive two sessions per day depending on the severity of their symptoms.
“Considering we are only open two days a week, the number of patients can be overwhelming at times,” she added.
Kayongo is one of the patients who is grateful to receive acupuncture treatment at the hospital. He has been receiving acupuncture treatment since his right hand became paralyzed in a motorcycle accident last October.
“I tried several treatments, but the one that finally made a difference was acupuncture,” she said. She expressed her feelings of gratitude for this treatment by the Chinese government, and Ms. Kayongo recommended this treatment to many of her friends.
According to the hospital administration, acupuncture is gaining prominence in Uganda alongside other alternative and traditional medicines, alongside Western medicine, offering complementary treatment options. ■
