Kupumua

Capacity-building to prevent and treat chronic lung disease in Uganda

Image: The 625

Kupumua Lung Health project

A partnership project between the University of Plymouth and Makerere University in Uganda.

The project aims to bring together medicine, art, music and dance to educate, treat, and develop capacity and capability in Uganda.

Dr Rupert Jones gives further details on the project in this video.

Project aims

Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) is caused by smoking, household and outdoor air pollution, and characterised by disabling breathlessness. The 2 major forms are Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and post-tuberculosis lung damage. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the world and a massive cause of morbidity and poverty. CLDs affect 16% of the adult population in Uganda and the joint approach of prevention and treatment will improve many lives where it is deployed.

The collaborative objectives of this project were to:

With the Makerere Lung Institute (MLI), co-develop a culturally adapted programme of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) including music, dance and singing.
Produce a culturally-adapted animated education film by a Year 3 UoP Illustration student.
Deliver a research methodology course, and partnership-build between the MLI and the UoP’s Global Health Collaborative to aid delivery of their MSc.

Approach to cultural adaptation of PR

We have implemented PR in Uganda, Kyrgyzstan and South Africa where we found substantial interest in incorporating music and dance into PR with potential to improve uptake, adherence and maintenance of PR. Built around our PR centre at MLI, we will develop novel adaptations using music and dance.

Capacity building to prevent and treat chronic
Lung disease in Uganda

Image: The 625

Workshops will be held with patients, staff and stakeholders to co-develop PR including music, singing and dance that will be evaluated using qualitative methods.

Image: The 625

Illustration

This project will also incorporate the help of second and third year illustration students at the University of Plymouth to produce lung health education materials for patients. This will include comics, calendars, children’s story books and an animated film.