People living with albinism condemn stigmatisation, seek support

As the world marked the International Albinism Awareness Day recently, the crusade to end all forms of stigmatization was brought to the fore.

In Nigeria, people living with albinism, under the aegis of

The Albino Network Association, TANA, unanimously condemned stigmatisation and urged government to come to their aid.

The group, founded by Mr. Dada Adeyemi and late Mr. Olabode Fagbile in 2011,expressed dissatisfaction with what happened in Tanzania some years ago, where people living with albinism were treated unfairly. However, Chairman of Lagos State chapter of TANA, Jaiyeola Fatungase observed that people living with albinism are also human beings that need love and care.

With the theme: ‘Celebrating Diversity, Promoting Inclusion and Protecting Our Rights,’ Fatungase, however implored government and well meaning Nigerians to assist the people living with albinism.

According to him, “We want those privileged in the Society to assist the less privileged albinos with vision aids. We also want to implore government, through the health ministry, to provide basic necessities for people living with albinism, which is protective clothing, that will cover most of their skin, provision of vision aids and, in addition, public enlightenment so that the level of stigmatisation can be reduced to the minimum.”

On challenges, he said, “Many albinos have to stay away from the sun because of their skin. The issue of the eyesight is also there because of lack of pigmentation, making it for some albinos not to see properly.”

A dermatologist with Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Frances Ajose, said nurses are the first people that should be educated, when mothers are delivering their babies. She added the issue of albinism must be incorporated in the nursing curriculum as people of first point of contact.

On the psychosocial aspects of albinism, she added mothers must also be taught how they can take care of their albino children. Teachers, in schools, must also be taught how to relate with albino children in the classroom, so that they can perform maximally.

In an address, Bola Gbeleyi, former Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, said Albinos must not be stigmatized, adding that their rights as individuals must also be protected.