Statement of the Department of Health:
On the use of “tuko” to cure AIDs or Asthma
[Released on July 14 2011]
The folkloric practice of using geckos (or “tuko”) as cure for AIDS and asthma persists to this day and is of serious concern to the Department of Health (DOH). There is no basis that this practice cures ailments like AIDS or brings relief from symptoms of asthma.
Thus, we do not recommend it as cure for any ailment.
The use of geckos as cure, which is unproven and has no scientific basis, could be dangerous because patients might not seek the proper treatment for their diseases, like asthma, which could become more serious and later require hospitalization and other more complicated as well as more expensive treatments. Further, this is likely to aggravate their overall health and put them at greater risk.
For diseases like asthma, there are now very effective treatments that are easily available and at affordable prices that can provide relief from asthma. With regular treatment, asthmatics can successfully control asthmatic symptoms and live a comfortable, healthy life.
For patients with HIV, there are now available antiviral medications that can control the progress of the disease.
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