KARACHI: Strength Beyond All Odds is the theme for this year’s International Albinism Awareness Day (13th June, 2021).
UN has chosen the theme to: Highlight the achievements of people with albinism around the world; Show that people with albinism can defy all odds; Celebrate how people with albinism worldwide meet and exceed expectations in all domains of life; Encourage everyone during COVID-19 pandemic to join the global effort to build back better.
Myths & Reality: In Pakistan Albinism is called burs. Many here believe that consuming fish with milk causes this malady. On the contrary in the West many people make breakfast using milk and fish. Albinism is still misunderstood, socially as well as medically.
The truth is that it is a rare non-contagious disease that is mostly inherited. According to experts both parents (even if their skins are normal) must carry the gene to be passed on. Due to this malady lack of pigmentation (melanin) in the hair, skin and eyes occurs.
Since so far there is no remedy for those who lack melanin they are vulnerable to the sun and bright light. Hence those suffering from albinism are visually impaired and often develop cancer of the skin.
Discrimination: Even in the 21st century people with albinism are discriminated and bullied. Sadly, when the whole world is combating COVID-19 Pandemic, populace of few regions have made the albinos scapegoats calling them Corona or COVID-19.
Attacks: In the past decade hundreds of cases of attacks and murders of people suffering from albinism had been recorded from as many as twenty-eight countries. Often root cause of such attacks are ignorance and belief in Sorcerism. But despite all that, such people, defying the odds, encounter injustices and manage to overcome hurdles.
Health Challenges: Due to lack of melanin people suffering from Albinism are vulnerable to developing skin cancer. Unfortunately, since in certain countries access to regular health checks, sunscreen, sunglasses and sun-protective clothing etc are not possible to them they die from skin cancer between the ages of 30 to 40.
Newspakistan.tv | YouTube Channel
