The PanAfrican Acupuncture Project

The PanAfrican Acupuncture Project trains healthcare workers in Africa to use simple and effective acupuncture techniques that enable them to treat the devastating and debilitating symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB. The Project is modeled after a successful program that continues to help people in Guatemala, and also mirrors what in China has been called the Barefoot Doctor. At the core of the Project is the training of local community healthcare providers so that they can provide the treatments. This is a very important aspect of this Project in that it empowers the people themselves. The Project trains licensed acupuncturists on the use of acupuncture and the theory and the techniques associated with it. These acupuncturists travel to specific target communities in the African continent and train the local individuals. The Project maintains contact with the communities to provide ongoing support through direct contact and via the web.

The goal of the PanAfrican Acupuncture Project is to train locals in acupuncture techniques so that they can use this alternative healing method in their communities to treat symptoms of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB.

In April 2003, The PanAfrican Acupuncture Project began training 20 healthcare workers. The initial training was a great success, with the healthcare workers treating over 20 patients under the supervision of trainers. Trainings have continued since program inception in 2003. In December 2006, six licensed acupuncturists traveled to Ibanda, where two concurrent trainings took place at the Ibanda Hospital and at a local health center. There, 34 nurses, nurse midwives, and midwives participated in the initial training. The second training is to occur in April 2007.