While there is limited data on Parkinson’s Disease in South Africa, it is safe to say that Parkinson’s Disease prevalence is increasing and the burden of Parkinson’s Disease is becoming increasingly important in the context of ageing populations across all cultural and ethnic groupings in South Africa and Africa at large.

The Parkinsons and Related Movement Disorder Association, established in 1970, regretfully deregistered in 2020 due to funding constraints. This has created an information and social vacuum for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease, their Families and Carers in South Africa, collectively “People impacted by Parkinsons”. While disparate groupings have been created across many urban centres, these are few and very far between.

The treatment of Parkinsons Disease in South Africa today is therefore largely one-dimensional through pharmaceutical treatment with little to no complementary rehabilitative treatment and lifestyle management programmes available to People impacted by Parkinsons.