By Stella Nassuna

HE falls back in his chair, looks up and around the office, as though scrutinising where he could have placed them. Then he says: “I will not lie to you, there are no standards or regulations for massage parlours. We are pressing to draft one, but I cannot give you a date”
The Kampala City Council (KCC) health inspector, Muhammad Kilumila, said this when I asked for the standards on which massage parlours run.

Kilumila says massage parlours are currently run on section 109 of the Public Health Act. “It is good that this has now become a public matter. It will quicken the drafting and passing of these laws,” he adds.

Kilumila’s confession was not any different from that of the massage employees. Out of the five massage parlours I visited, two confirmed their work was not regulated by any body or bureau. All they needed was the license to operate.

Could this be the reason behind the rise of massage parlours today? They have extended from the city to upcountry towns. Every small hotel has at least one. They are also situated in shopping malls all over town.

Herbal treatment has also turned to massage therapy to treat patients, with the most popular being reflexology therapy.

However, no one has a clue on the number of massage parlours currently, nor when the first parlour was opened up.

Herbert Ssemakule, a public relations personnel, says this is because they do not have all records of the registered massage parlours at their disposal.

“Every massage parlour is registered by KCC branches stationed in various towns making it hard to follow up,” he adds.

This in turn portrays massage parlour business as risky for both the customers and employees. Being a new business, most customers are ignorant about their operation, products and their general appearance.

This increases chances of fake products being used without the customers’ knowledge.

Dr. Jacinto Amandua, the commissioner clinical services, says it is hard for customers to distinguish genuine massage products from fake ones.

“Massage parlours are controlled under a general public health act that forbids them from the use of harmful products. This act is enforced by KCC” Amandua says.

Muhammad says: “Before I issue a license, I check the products to see which ones are genuine and those that are not.

However, we cannot monitor products that come up afterwards.”
Though hypertension and skin disorders capable of turning cancerous have not yet been reported by massages, Amandua says those are some of the diseases and health complications likely to arise.

With the absence of a regulatory body, particularly for massage parlours, it becomes hard for customers to file a law suit against these parlours in case of bad reactions resulting from the use of expired or substandard products.

Benefits of a massage
Alicia Norah, a masseuse with C&C Health Club, says a body massage improves circulation and loosens tensed and stiff muscles.

“It increases body flexibility and mobility, clears lactic wastes and other wastes, enhances the body’s immunity system, relieving one from any kind of stress and pains.” She adds.

Challenges
There is a need for someone to feel secure and in good hands before dishing out their hard earned cash, especially with the few beauty schools around East Africa, one would doubt whether the masseuse is trained to do this kind of work.

Alicia says most of her customers are men. This is undoubtedly true, but very risky for the masseuse, of whom most are women.

Experts say a full body massage always triggers off the desire to have sex. Two male customers I talked to said as a masseuse massages around the groin area, they get sexually aroused.

Although the masseuses I asked failed to admit it, there is a possibility that they are sexually assaulted by their male customers. Others are bribed into having sex with their clients.

Other businesses in Uganda that are currently not under any regulation include; salons, health clubs, house brokers, photographers and local waragi brewers.