GCC debate albino grievances
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday June 17, 2016 14:42
The mover of the motion councillor Sergeant Kgosietsile of Marulamantsi ward in Gaborone Bonnington South says some people still have a difficulty when dealing with albinos especially some parents who have normal skin and end up having albino children. Kgosietsile’s contention is that albino’s are stigmatised by people because of their skin colour. A person with albinism (PWA) is unable to produce the usual amounts of pigment or colour called melanin that is normally found in his or her race.
“I am saying this because I lost some of my friends after my skin colour changed. One can be born with a normal skin and later the skin changes colour and it wouldn’t be easy for people to accept that person. PWAs need to take precautions to avoid sun damage to their skin because lack of melanin in skin means that one does not have natural protection from the sun,” Kgosietsile said.
He said the albinos are economically challenged and are vulnerable members of the society, hence the government should seek to subsidise and enrol these people under social services and assist them with the necessary stuff to protect their delicate skins from damage caused by sunlight.
The Marulamantsi councillor said the other health challenge that the albinos face is lack of vision which is not completely correctable with eye glasses.
“Vision problems associated with albinism is a result of abnormal development of nerve connections between the eye and the brain which in turn is a result of the lack of colour/melanin. Most PWAs have low vision and are classified in many countries as legally blind. People with albinism are at risk of severe isolation because their condition is often misunderstood,” he said.
He said most of albinos die due to skin cancer because they cannot afford to buy their skin lotions outside the country.
Kgosietsile said PWAs have difficulty in completing educational programmes and increased likelihood of dropping out and subsequent unemployment.