avatarAnthony R.

Summary

The website content provides an overview of albinism, addressing common myths, the medical aspects of the condition, its prevalence, and the challenges faced by individuals with albinism, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract

Albinism is a genetic condition characterized by the absence of melanin, affecting skin, hair, and eye color, and leading to health issues like vision problems and increased skin cancer risk. The condition, which requires medical monitoring, has different classifications, including ocular, cutaneous, and oculocutaneous albinism. Despite its rarity, albinism is relatively common in sub-Saharan Africa due to consanguinity. Individuals with albinism face widespread discrimination, superstitions, and violence, fueled by myths that they are cursed or that their body parts have magical properties. World Albinism Awareness Day, observed on June 13th, aims to combat these prejudices and educate the public about the reality of albinism as a medical condition.

Opinions

  • There is a strong emphasis on the injustice and prejudice faced by people with albinism, particularly in regions like Somalia and the African Great Lakes region.
  • The article highlights the absurdity of superstitions that lead to the persecution, murder, and dismemberment of albinos, contrasting the belief that they bring bad luck when alive with the notion that their body parts bring good luck when dead.
  • The text suggests that a lack of access to healthcare and misinformation contribute to the stigmatization of albinism, with families often turning to witch doctors instead of medical professionals.
  • The author expresses disbelief and frustration at the persistence of such harmful beliefs and practices against people with albinism in the 21st century.
  • The article underscores the importance of education and awareness, exemplified by the establishment of World Albinism Awareness Day by the UN, to dispel myths and promote understanding of albinism.

Albinism Awareness: How to Educate Others

Essential Facts about Albinism You Should Know

Horrifying myths and legends about albinism from around the world

Photo by santiago gomez on Unsplash

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One of the biggest injustices I’ve heard about is prejudice against albino people.

Albinism is an inherited genetic condition in which the body’s cells are not able to produce melanin, a pigment that, when lacking, results in a lack of colour in the skin, eyes, and hair.

It is a recessive condition, that is for someone to be affected, both parents must carry a gene for albinism, even if they do not have this characteristic.

People with albinism have very white skin, extremely light eyes, hair, eyelashes, and other body hair.

This condition also causes an increased risk of developing certain health problems, especially vision problems such as strabismus, myopia photophobia, or even skin cancer. This makes it essential that people with albinism are regularly monitored by an ophthalmologist and dermatologist to prevent these complications.

There are several classifications of albinism.

·Ocular albinism, in which there is a total or partial absence of pigmentation in the eyes;

· Cutaneous albinism, in which the person has little or no melanin in the skin and/or hair;

·Oculocutaneous albinism, in which there is a lack of pigmentation throughout the body.

Furthermore, because there is little or no melanin, the skin no longer has protection against the effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

It is therefore perfectly natural for albino people to show signs of premature skin ageing and a higher risk of skin cancer.

A dermatologist makes the diagnosis of albinism. Observation of the signs and symptoms presented by the patient can be confirmed by genetic laboratory tests that identify the type of mutation.

These people in certain regions of the planet are persecuted, murdered, or even worse.

Albinism is a very rare genetic condition, and, worldwide, it affects one in every twenty thousand people. Although rare in the rest of the world, albinism is considerably common in sub-Saharan Africa. Consanguinity is the main factor for this condition.

Many believe it is a punishment from God or bad luck.

So, the “disease” can be contagious, which is generally the view of many doctors and health professionals in the community.

Talking about the suffering of being an albino in Somalia, is a terrible stigma. Albinos, in this country, are considered cannibals and there is a belief that they eat children.

People think they are cursed.

People do all kinds of witchcraft to protect themselves from albinos.

There is also a belief that potions made with parts of the body of albinos can transmit magical powers. This superstition is especially present in the African Great Lakes region. It has been promoted and exploited by sorcerers and others who use body parts as ingredients in potions and rituals.

As a consequence of these absurd superstitions, people with albinism have been persecuted, killed and dismembered. Albino graves have been violated and bodies dug up.

At the same time, the same albino people have been ostracized and even murdered for the opposite reason, because they bring bad luck.

Despised, mistreated, connoted with witchcraft and killed for “good luck”, because as alive they “bring bad luck”. These are the realities that children and adults with albinism have to deal with, especially in Africa.

Witchcraft is one of the enemies of albinism. Eye and head movements, which are related to vision problems, are also wrongly associated with witchcraft. Difficult access to the healthcare system causes families to turn to witch doctors who feed wrong ideas about what albinism is. “According to myths, people with albinism who are alive are bad luck for the village and that community, but when they are dead they are good luck”. Who can understand this logic?

Because they are supposedly good luck when they are dead, people with albinism are kidnapped, attacked, killed and parts of their bodies are trafficked. For example, these people’s hair is used by fishermen who put it on their rods to catch more fish. Other body parts are trafficked to prepare amulets, talismans, and potions.

Many parents also abandon their children because they believe that their children with albinism are the result of marital infidelity. When they arrive at school, they are victims of bullying and children who were spontaneous and liked to play and jump, end up becoming shy due to the decrease in the relationships they are subject to.

World Albinism Awareness Day

World Albinism Awareness Day is June 13th. The anniversary was established in 2015 by the UN to encourage the fight against discrimination and persecution, seeking to deepen the understanding of albinism, as a pigmentary anomaly.

How is this possible in the 21st century?

What a crazy world. I don't get it!

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