a) Health & Albinism

This Project addresses the very significant  health needs of persons with albinism which are eye care & skin care , however due to  myths and misconceptions the issue of HIV & albinism has become an emerging issue that needs to be addressed.

The absence of melanin in the skin and eyes of PWA give rise to health challenges   in relation to their skin and eyesight which many are unable to deal with. Failure to deal with these health challenges, where they relate to the skin, often has fatal consequences.

As noted above, the absence of melanin in the skin means that PWA are very sensitive to UV radiation, and they need to take care of their skins to avoid sun damage. Protection from the sun involves the use of sun screens with a high SPF and use of protective clothing such as hats, long pants and long sleeved shirts. The inability of PWA to care for their skin may lead to development of skin cancer which, untreated, can prove fatal. A combination of factors is responsible for the inability of PWA to take care of their skin- the most notable being the cost of sun screen lotions, and the lack of awareness of the dangers of exposure to the sun.

Although many PWA have visual limitations, they can still read and study in regular educational institutions – they just need larger print or magnifiers to help them. Due to the misconceptions about the visual abilities of PWA, over 90% of children with albinism in Kenya attend schools for the visually impaired at primary school level.

With the spread of HIV/Aids has come an increase in the incidences of rape of women with albinism by HIV infected males in some part of Kenya . This increase has reportedly been fueled by yet another superstitious belief-that sex with a PWA can cure HIV. The social exclusion, misunderstanding and stigmatization that is the lot of many PWA means that many PWA never get to exploit their full potential as human beings, and are thus often at the bottom of the social economic ladder. This, in turn, compounds the difficulties that relate to the health challenges that PWA have to contend with.