Help for people with a neglected disease

Podoconiosis belongs to the most neglected diseases according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This type of elephantiasis mainly affects people who walk barefoot in endangered regions. Shoes play an important role in prevention and therapy. 

(Photo: Podo e.V.)

Podoconiosis is a non-infectious type of elephantiasis. It is also called endemic, non-filarial elephantiasis, “Mossy Foot” disease, elephant foot disease or “Morbus Price” disease. In 2011 the WHO included the disease officially as one of the most neglected diseases in the world. Podoconiosis occurs in regions with special geologic and climatic factors. These are regions with red soil of volcanic origin, where the soil is rich in silicate and where there are seasonal rainfalls. These regions are in the highland of tropical Africa, in Central America and Northern India. Podoconiosis is caused by micro-particles in soils with high laterite of volcanic origin. These particles penetrate the intact skin of people walking barefoot and reach the subcutaneous tissue where they can lead to an inflammatory process. The legs swell, get infected and develop a strong odor.
In Ethiopia podoconiosis is a disease of the poor rural population. People walking barefoot and who are in contact with the volcanic soil in the highland are endangered. About one million of the four million affected people worldwide live in Ethiopia. Mostly the poor rural population is affected, mainly farmers, but also miners who have to work barefoot due to poverty. Shoes are an unaffordable luxury for most people living in the country.
The most important measure for the avoidance of the disease is to wear socks and protective, solid shoes, preferably made of stable leather. If the first symptoms can already be seen, it is important to stop the progression of podoconiosis. This can be done by the daily washing of the feet with soap and water and the appliance of antiseptics and emollients. Also compression dressings lead to a continuous improvement of the symptoms.
The history of Podo e.V.
In 2011 Podo e.V. (www.podoev.net), was founded by people who made it their business to commit themselves to fight the foot disease in Ethiopia. All club members of Podo e.V., which is located in Germany, know the disease and people afflicted by it through their trips to Ethiopia and got to know the local self-help structures already existing. Many members in Ethiopia used to suffer from podoconiosis themselves and would now like to support other people in their fight against the disease.
Shoes for “podo”-feet
In 2014 a shoemaker’s shop was established in ljaji, where Getu Yasin and his four co-workers produce high-quality shoes designed for the special requirements of podo patients. Getu Yasin is not officially trained as a shoemaker. He made a living as a listro (shoeshine boy) for a lengthy period of time and also made small shoe repairs in doing so. In five different shoemaker’s shops he made short internships – usually only a day – and learned a lot about shoemaking. Basically Getu Yasin learned by doing. He has enormous craftsmanship and was able to start on his own to measure the big feet of podoconiosis patients and to trace on paper the circumference of the forefoot at two spots and then the circumference of the foot when it treads. Most shoes are costum-made. Initially everything was hand-made, meanwhile the association owns a leather sewing machine, a furnace to heat up the soles, a sanding machine to roughen up the leather and some other machines. This makes the production of the about 1000 pairs easier that Getu Yasin and his co-workers produce per year.
Maike Stelter

 

Getu Yasin is a mostly self trained shoemaker who produces shoes shoes for patients with to podoconiosis. (Photo: Podo e.V.)

Fur the full article, please see the 1/2018 edition of foot&shoe.