Albinos ask for more support
Persons with albinism pose for a photo with their partners at Wakiso Health Centre IV during a health camp last Saturday. PHOTO | STEPHEN OTAGE
What you need to know:
- The albinism body decries rampant cases of stigmatisation and calls for protection against the vice.
The Albinism Umbrella Uganda (AUU), an organisation for persons with albinism, has asked government, the European Union and the Aga Khan foundation to extend help and research on albinism beyond Kampala.
Ms Olive Namutebi, the AUU chief executive officer, told Daily Monitor on February 25 that the Shs142m, which they received from the European Union through the Aga Khan Foundation to support their community during the Covid-19 pandemic, enabled them to provide relief items, set up medical camps, and invested in business incubation to their beneficiaries.
“We offered skin and eye care for children and also conducted HIV counselling for adults,” Ms Namutebi said.
She said they still face challenges of myths and stereotypes among the public, which has greatly affected their lives. For example, some people believe that sleeping with a person with albinism cures HIV/Aids, which has led to rape cases and stigmatisation against them.
Mr Romano Ssembajwe, the Aga Khan Foundation programme coordinator, said: “We have been implementing a programme funded by the European Union, where we were responding to adverse effects of Covid-19. It has two components; building resilience among communities of practice, which includes persons with disabilities and supporting persons with special needs.”
He added that albinism is an extremely expensive condition to manage due to the special care needed such as buying sun screens and shields.
Ms Namutebi said a total of 38 children benefited from the medical camp and more than 150 persons in Kampala and Wakiso districts have benefited from the programme.
She called for more support beyond Kampala Metropolitan area in order to understand the magnitude of albinism in the country.
