‘Death of albinos on the rise in Nigeria’

Founder of the Albino Foundation (TAF), Mr Jake Epelle, made this known Friday, while briefing news men on the International Albinism Awareness Day coming up next Monday.

Nigeria has recorded a significant rise in the death rate of people living with albinism in the past couple of months because of skin cancer.

Founder of the Albino Foundation (TAF), Mr Jake Epelle, made this known Friday,  while briefing news men on the International Albinism Awareness Day coming up next Monday.

He said the free cancer treatment for albinos at the National Hospital has been put on hold, and this necessitates exploring other intervention strategies.

Epelle said it is also important to dialogue with government and other stakeholders on how to resume free treatment of skin cancer for people with albinism, not just at the National Hospital, Abuja but also in other federal and state owned government hospitals.

“ Paying off the outstanding bill of approximately 60 million naira  accumulated as a result of free treatment of skin cancer for our members at the national Hospital Abuja is also a responsibility that we here at the foundation cannot shy away from,” he said.

He called on stakeholders to intervene in the provision of the needed health services for people with albinism, and also end discrimination against them.