National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) is appealing to over six thousand Persons with Albinism (PWA’S) who are not registered with the council to do so (register) in order to benefit from various empowerment programs initiated by the government and other development partners with the aim of bettering their livelihoods.
The National body for persons with disability has only been helping a total number of 3,853 persons with albinism who are registered with the council against a total number of 9,742 persons with albinism across the country as per the late national census data base.
A senior disability service officer working with NCPWD Mr Alex Munyere while speaking on Saturday at two separate forums held at Mutomo and Ikutha level Four Hospitals in Kitui south constituency in Kitui county, lamented that there are about six thousand Persons with Albinism (PWA’s) who are not registered with the NCPWD hence the reason to the council’s appeal to bring them on board.
The council is currently worki
ng jointly with the Ministry of Health to trace the said 6000 unregistered victims as well register them so they can also benefit from numerous types of government aids currently enjoyed by the few identified registered members.
Mr Munyere expressed concerns that the NCPWD has not been able to trace the said unregistered PWA’s despite repeated appeals being made by the NCPWD to have them join the Organisation for assistance.
‘The NCPWD is working jointly with the Ministry of Health’s Community Health Promoters (C.H.P), who are based at villages, that is the lowest grassroot levels across the country, in efforts to help the council to trace the unregistered six thousand persons with alibinism’, said Mr Munyere.
During the two separate forums at Mutomo and Ikutha level Four Hospital, Mr Munyere who was accompanied by a team of officials from NCPWD and medics for Eye care, offered free eye care services, sunglasses and sun lotions to the few persons with albinism who turned up for the grassroot mapping outrea
ch drive.
‘National Council for Persons with Disabilities has been implementing this program in order to cushion persons with albinism from the effects of harmful sun rays, which leads to deadly disease, skin cancer’, said the senior disability service officer.
Since placement of the welfare of people with albinism at the Council in 2011, the Council has been providing sunscreen, sunglasses, sun lotions, lip balms and other services for all Persons with Albinism to mitigate the effects of the harmful sun rays that cause skin cancer.
Through the program, the government is able to distribute the said necessities to selected government hospitals, which then dispense them to the clients, PWAs. One bottle of Nivea sunscreen lotion is provided to each registered Person with Albinism monthly.
Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) and the National Council for Persons with Disabilities has been working jointly in distribution of the sunscreen to more than 192 public health facilities across the the country as a
t nearest point of distribution in order to alleviate the plight of persons living with albinism.
Additionally, provision of protective clothing is also one of the expert’s recommendations on matters of prevention of skin cancer, hence apart from the application of sunscreen lotion, the council has also procured long-sleeved T-Shirts and Wide Brim Hats for the persons.
Source: Kenya News Agency