What is podo?
Millions of people suffer from painful leg swelling, stigma, and social exclusion, simply because they walk barefoot on red clay soil.
Podoconiosis — or simply ‘podo’ — is a non-infectious form of leg swelling triggered by long-term exposure to irritant minerals found in volcanic earth. It is not caused by a parasite, bacterium, or virus — yet people living with podo are often wrongly blamed and pushed to the margins of society.
The World Health Organization recognised podo as a Neglected Tropical Disease in 2011. An estimated 4 million people across highland tropical Africa live with it, and the disease has been documented in over 15 countries worldwide.
Podo devastates lives, disproportionally affecting women and girls. People living with podo endure debilitating flare-ups, where their affected limbs become warm, inflamed, and increasingly swollen.
Many also experience isolation and shame, driven by harmful myths and widespread misunderstanding of the actual cause of the disease.
Podo is both preventable and treatable. With protective footwear and basic foot hygiene, it can be stopped.
Where is it found?
Podo has previously been or is currently reported from 32 countries across Africa, Central America, and Asia — regions linked by a volcanic past. The disease mainly impacts remote rural areas where subsistence farmers typically work in the fields barefoot.
