Assessing the use of bats as materials in zootherapeutic practices in Western Uganda

Abstract

Traditional healing is widely practiced among many indigenous tribes in Africa and worldwide. Over 85% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa consider traditional healing as an alternative form of treatment to the conventional western health care system. However, some tribes use animals associated with zoonoses, such as bats, as materials in their zootherapeutic practices, yet much remains unknown. This study assessed the use of bats as materials in traditional zootherapeutic practices among the Bakiga and Banyankole tribes in Mitooma District, Western Uganda. The study provides information vital to the mitigation of zoonotic risks involved in using bats in zootherapeutic practices. The study involved a mixed research methodology comprising quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected from 115 individuals using a systematic random sampling technique. One-on-one interviews were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires. Qualitative data were collected in audio format from 10 key informants using in-depth interviews. The most identified traditional use of bats (77.4%) in Mitooma District was the formulation of therapeutic concoctions used in female genital modification (FGM). A high percentage of respondents, 40/115 (38.8%), participated in FGM using concoctions extracted from bats. Sex was the primary determinant of people’s participation in bat-related zootherapeutic practices. Age, academic qualification, and knowledge or awareness of potential zoonotic risks did not affect people’s participation in bat-related FGM practices. The study determined that the method of capturing bats and preparing concoctions puts participants at great risk of being exposed to zoonotic pathogens associated with bats. Therefore, the government should conduct community sensitization programs through the ministry of health and the district health officers about the health risks associated with using wild animals in zootherapeutic practices.