…As Foundation Seek Inclusion Of PWA To FG Skin Cancer Intervention Programme
The Founder of Albino Foundation and President , Albinism Association of Nigeria, Mr Jake Epelle has lamented that three People With Albinism (PWP) die every month in Nigeria of skin cancer.
While appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to review the previous administration’s Skin Cancer Intervention programme for People With Albinism (PWP) with the aim of setting up the requisite policy instruments that will make it functional and sustainable once more.
This, according to him will help assuage the plight of People With Albinism (PWP) in Nigeria.
He added that, the scourge of skin cancer is ravaging the community of PWA is not only life threatening but functionally decimating the lives of Nigerians who have albinism as statistics shows that about three PWA die from it every month.
He made this known at a press conference to commemorate the National Albinism Awareness Day with the theme: SOS from skin cancer patients with Albinism on Thursday in Abuja.
He added that :” the president should use his good office to approve the inclusion of skins cancer care to the scope of the current Cancer Health Fund which only takes care of Breast, Cervical and Prostate cancer under your leadership.
“Galvanized local and international support for possible collaboration and funding support for skin cancer for PWA. Special attention may be placed on the United Nations Aid (UNAID) who 2e have spoken to, and are ready to extend arm of fellowship in this regard.
” In addition to the above, may I have the mandate to kindly and other person’s 2ho are suffering from Skin Cancer by flagging off the Sun- Protection Campaign. A policy framework targeted at increasing advocacy in this regard may be led by the Ministry of Health and other relevant MDAs in such a manner that will stimulate inter-ministerial efforts reinvented for creating enduring campaign on Sun- Protection Campaign for PWA.
” It is important to recount some of the 3fforts we have made to attract one or more interventions from the Federal Government and other important development partners targeted at improving the lot of PWA in this and more regards. In fact, in 2007 we had initiated a Public Private Partnership with the president Obasanjo administration during which the government launched a Skin Cancer Intervention for PWA at the National Hospital and other designated states and private hospitals. Although, this intervention continued through the regime of former late president Musa Yar’Adua, it was bankrolled in 2013 by the Federal Ministry of Finance service wide vote. The arrangement had earmarked and expended 17.8 million naira alongside other useful resources for this effort. Over 5000 Nigerians with Albinism got treated as a result of this milestone was seemingly discontinued under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari maybe because of other overriding interests.
“Despite this discontinuance , the current government has meaningfully contributed to fighting various strands of cancer that are ravaging Nigerians such as the breast, cervical and prostate cancers. Programme such as Cancer Health Fund initiated by the president and led by the Ministry of Health has voted 1 billion Naira for cancer care in the country. While this 8s laudable, it is important to reiterate that special attention needs to be placed on PWAs who are suffering one or more forms of cancer as a result of their condition since the fund does not capture the peculiar needs of PWA. While president had assured the PWA community after he had graciously listened to a BBC Hausa advocacy campaign on cancer cases amongst PWA that he would return the previous Skin Cancer Intervention for PWA, nothing has been done to expedite actions in this regard”, he explained.
