Bee Venom Therapy as an Alternative Treatment in Kenya
In Kenya, bee venom therapy is emerging as an unconventional method to help patients manage various ailments. However, experts caution that the scientific evidence supporting this treatment remains limited and it carries significant risks.
About the Therapy
Stephen Kimani Kaboyo, the Director and Founder of Bellafam Africa, administers this therapy involving deliberate bee stings.
"We have first to know the patients. Some things called ultra-indications. If a patient is pregnant we do not really administer, if a patient has a transplanted organ we also do not administer on them. Also if a patient has got low blood pressure," he says.
Application of Bee Stings
The placement of bee stings depends on the patient's specific health issues.
- Local points: Targeted areas related to localized pain such as the wrists, joints, knees, and lower back.
- General points: For systemic conditions like asthma, acupuncture points inspired by Chinese traditional medicine on the lungs are used.
"So we have got two points, we have got the general points and we've got the local points... Once you do them we find our patient recovering very fast," explains Kaboyo.
Case Example: Rose Mwangi
Rose Mwangi seeks bee venom therapy at the farm to treat Lichen Planus, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting her skin, mucous membranes, hair, and nails.
Summary
Bee venom therapy is practiced cautiously in Kenya as an alternative treatment with specific application points, though experts highlight the lack of strong scientific backing and potential risks.