Albino Society Launches Medical Outreach

The Liberia Albino Society has for the first time embarked on a nationwide free medical outreach for people with Albinism and the visually impaired. The outreach started in western Liberia with the treatment of at least 300 Albinos and visually impaired persons in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties, and is expected to continue in the next few days to other parts of the country.

The outreach is said to be providing first aid treatment and skin cancer prevention enlightenment for all Albinos. The Executive Director of the Liberia Albino Society, Madam Patricia Logan, said visually impaired persons were included in the exercise because of the share needs in their distressful condition.

The outreach was initiated after a reported death toll of Albinos from skin cancer rising to at least 8 in recent years in Liberia with more still being affected. Madam Logan put the actual cost of the medical mission to the western region at US$6,000.00, including the purchasing of drugs from America.

She said the amount was taken from their limited budget from government just to meet the health needs of the vulnerable albinos and visually impaired. Some of the beneficiaries expressed strong gratitude to the Liberia Albino Society for responding to their health needs, something the visually impaired termed as a commendable gesture.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director and Founder of the Liberia Albino Society has announced that discrimination and marginalization of Albinos here has in recent times reduced considerably, particularly in Monrovia.

Madam Patricia Logan said the latest reduction is the direct result of the extreme advocacy put up by the Liberia Albino Society, something it vows to intensify throughout the country.

She said the government’s recognition of the plight of Albinos in the country was another means by which they have now being warmly accepted in the family and the community. She wants the same step to be taken by those in rural Liberia, stressing that the LAS will fight any attempt to continuously marginalize and discriminate against its members.

Madam Logan said LAS intends to go across the country, but funding remains a key challenge for which they are still appealing to the Legislature for budgetary increment to at least US$ 100,000 in order to impact the lives of albinos in remote towns and villages.

The Liberia Albino Society is providing agriculture empowerment, micro loan, feeding, scholarships, back to school program, computer training for albinos in Monrovia and its surrounding.