Albinism awareness-the truth and what we all need to know
The world is controlled by different perceptions of people. These are built by their backgrounds, beliefs and values. Well, many might seem ignorant due to society upbringing.
People with albinism have suffered different kinds of violations from being victims of witchcraft (human sacrifice) to stigma, for instance a family of Ugandan citizens with five children that have albinism, has sleepless nights trying to flee from criminals who wanted to kidnap and sacrifice their children for their body parts.
Harmful and illegal practices like human sacrifice committed against people with albinism to traffic their body parts, discrimination and many others have left several children with albinism as school drops outs, because of the fear of being killed for who they are. This agonizing situation has left other people with albinism with suicidal thoughts due to the worthless feeling that is drawn from the communities.
Breaking the myths around people with Albinism is a process that is not yet successful, according to the Albinism World Wide Report 2021, miners use the bones of persons with albinism as amulets or bury them where they are drilling for gold with superstitious myths of fortune and power, and that fishermen weave the hair of persons with albinism into their nets as a ritual to improve their catches. Such barbaric and sickening beliefs get people with albinism leaving in fear, many thinking if they can ever live up to their dreams or make it to the next age in life.
Albinism is described as a condition where there is little or no production of the pigment melanin in a human body.
Oculocutaneous albinism is the most common type of albinism in Africa, it affects the eyes, hair, and skin, then ocular albinism, which affects only the eyes and Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome, which affects the eyes, hair, and skin and contributes to bleeding problems.
Due to the lack of melanin in their skin, people with albinism are vulnerable to skin cancer.
People with albinism are normal people with equal rights like any other, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, so they should be accepted in society. It’s time we look at their contribution and achievements at large, for example, Allen Bonabana the first person with albinism to be employed by the Parliament of Uganda under the department of corporate planning and strategy, Hon. Isaac Mwaura, the first Member of Parliament in Kenya with Albinism, as a disability advocate. He was nominated senator in the Kenya’s Senate, representing Persons with Disabilities. He was also honored by President Uhuru Kenyatta as Chief of the Burning Spear (CBS) for his immense disability advocacy and parliamentary achievements.
Yes! Ages ago ignorance might have been the case. Today, awareness about persons with albinism and their condition has been preached and communicated through different channels and events like International Albinism Awareness Day commemorated every 13th June.
On 18th December 2014 the United Nations General Assembly resolved that the month of June is the Albinism Awareness month. This historic resolution confirmed the global focus on albinism advocacy.
The society should embrace them and acknowledge their efforts as we call for albinism awareness -the truth
Last modified: January 8, 2024
