By Mohamed Foday Conteh
The Programme Officer of the Sierra Leone Albinism Foundation (SLAFo), Mohamed K. Sesay says albinos are dying of cancer in Sierra Leone due to lack of specialists in dermatology and poverty.
Speaking to Politico, Sesay said skin cancer is of major concern to albinos in Sierra Leone as many cannot afford the recommendation and prescription made for them due to poverty and that they often suffer from sunburn that causes cancer.
“We have no dermatologist in Sierra Leone and this is of grave concern to us,” Sesay said. He also said that a few months ago, they lost a female member of the Foundation to skin cancer at the Connaught Hospital. He added that 3 years ago they also lost two other male members to the same disease.
One of the easiest ways to beat skin cancer as an Albino is to prevent oneself from sunburns according to medical experts. Sunburn prevention can be solved with the use of an anti-sunburn lotion. This lotion is nevertheless expensive –a single lotion costs over Le 200,000 ($20), Sesay stated.
Access to healthcare for Albinos and other persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone is supposed to be free. “The Disability Act clearly spells it out that healthcare for albinos and other disabled persons is free of cost but the reality is far from that,” the Programme’s Officer claimed.
Albinos with skin cancer often raise funds from well-wishers and through minor contributions from SLAFo members. Often these contributions turned out late and the victim ends up losing his or her life. He said that most people class them as a different sets of people due to the nature of their skin.
“People just see you different and refuse to associate themselves with you,” Sesay said. “We have seen cases wherein a person with albinism is denied by their parents because of the skin.”
He argued that although there are laws against this form of discrimination, they are not enforced and that most of the people who bully them often go free.
In the educational sector, he charged: “Most Albinos are unable to finish their education due to discrimination and bullying”.
Sesay also stated that these discriminations were at times perpetrated by other people with disabilities. According to reports, albinism is often seen as a taboo in the African continent while some other people associate myths with them. Witchcraft and ritualism are among some of the challenges albinos face in Africa. These or similar challenges are also visible in Sierra Leone. Although there has never been a report of ritualism, rejection from family members is at times a glaring reality for an albino in the country.
Persons with albinism lack melanin on the skin. Sunday, June 13, 2021, was observed as International Albinism Awareness Day.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (18/06/21)
