ACUPUNCTURE CAMP REPORT.

The camp was facilitated and conducted by a team of four health workers working with a charity organization called World medicine Acupuncture in Action. Mother of Mercy Hospital was the host partner. Other partners included; Kyengera HC 111, Nsangi HC 111, Nabbingo Church HC 111, Crane services Kyengera and Nyange Medical services Nabbingo. These partners mainly participated in mobilizing and registering patients at their respective facilities. The camp was started on 13th April and ended on 24 April 2026 at Mother of Mercy Hospital Kyengera.

The partners participated in mobilizing and sensitizing the community about the camp which activity started a month ahead of the camp. Social media especially the hospital website and whatsapp messages played a major role. Mother of Mercy Hospital made fliers which were distributed to different partners’ facilities and given out to the patients who came for medical services. Banners were put up at the different facilities for further mobilization.

ACHIVEMENTS

The team was making a pilot exercise which turned out to bring massive clients in need of the service. The service mainly concerns treatment for controlling or relieving pain including but not limited to joint pain, back pain, shoulders, hips, migraine, and other related kind of pain due to disease conditions affecting humanity.

218 Patients were treated with a minimum of three therapies given over a period of two weeks. 344 Clients had registered at the different health facilities but could not access treatment because they could not meet a minimum of three therapies to benefit from the treatment since they had to skip at least one day apart before receiving another treatment. Following the massive numbers that remained pending, a similar camp might be organized next year depending on acquisition of requirements. Given the number of therapies given to clients depending on disease condition, 708 cumulative treatments were made which greatly surpassed the expected number.

CHALLENGES

The only challenge we encountered was overwhelming numbers that couldn’t be covered by the medical team given the time schedule. However it was blessing in disguise and an indication to the lead partners that there was no further need to conduct a community needs assessment to discern the magnitude of the community need.

LESSONS LEARNT

There are many people who are victims of pain which condition cannot be fully addressed by modern scientific medicine only. Acupuncture treatment is a traditional chinese medicine which creates a great impact in relieving pain and has no side effect since no tablet or injection solution is used.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Allow me to take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of all partners in this noble cause. Our sincere appreciation to World medicine Acupuncture in Action charity and the lead team that conducted the camp: Teresa Dawkes, Emma Vaughan, Barbra Robinson and Najma Dwoodbhai. Facility in-charges and staff of Kyengera H/C 111, Nsangi H/C 111, Nabbingo Church H/C 111, Crane Health Services Kyengera and Nyange Medical Services Nabbingo.