End skin cancer for people with albinism in Uganda

Since our last report, with your help, 79 children and adults with albinism have received comprehensive skin checks of whom 50 received cryotherapy treatments to remove small pre-cancerous lesions. Skin clinics managed by our partner SNUPA have taken place in the districts of Budaka, Pallisa, Kibuuku and Butalejja. Our clinics help people with albinism to come together, not just for vital health checks and sun protective resources, but to find friendship, solidarity and encouragement.

The fact that our clinics are now held in government hospitals has caused greater awareness and understanding that people with albinism also need support with their general health needs. SNUPA note that while many would previously feel unwelcome and suffer in silence ‘Many can now access health services from their nearby health centres.’

SNUPA and our dermatologists Dr. Inena and Dr. Ngobi also use the clinics to train local staff, as well as to engage with key stakeholders such as the Special Needs Department of the Ministry of Education. Awareness and understanding are growing and one local government official pledged to provide wide-brimmed for children with albinism in his district.

We are also noting how wider families are taking an interest and becoming more knowledgeable about albinism. Faruk of SNUPA told us ‘An encouraging instance was observed when a young girl, riding a bicycle, brought her two siblings with albinism to benefit from the services. This demonstrated growing awareness and family involvement in promoting skin health.’

Thanks to regular clinic attendance, most participants had relatively healthy skin without significant concerns. However, in the Butalejja clinic, 6-year old Brian attended for the first time. His mother brought him to SNUPA, desperate for help as her son had fast-growing and painful wounds on his scalp and mouth. Brian had never before had skin checks or access to sunscreen or appropriate clothing. Advantage Africa has now supported Brian to have urgent skin cancer surgery and he will need careful monitoring and access to protective resources going forward to keep him safe.  

Given the huge and ongoing demand, it is a challenge to ensure that consistent supplies of high sun protection factor sunscreen are available for all attendees at our clinics. Although it is a life-saving, vital resource for people with albinism, there is currently no government provision of sunscreen in Uganda.

On 5th September 2025, following months of campaigning from organisations associated with the Global Albinism Alliance, (including SNUPA and Advantage Africa), the World Health Organisation (WHO) added SPF50+ sunscreen to their official Essential Medicines List. This is a tremendous breakthrough for people with albinism globally. However, there is still much work to do to encourage individual governments, like Uganda’s, to include sunscreen in their own Essential Medicines Lists. With SNUPA, we will keep lobbying for this to ensure that Uganda’s citizens with albinism, like young Brian, have access to the resources and care they need and can look forward to full lives.

With your continuing help, we can stand with people with albinism in Uganda, helping them to stay safe from skin cancer and to advocate for appropriate and sustained health support. Thank you!

Since we last updated you, your support has enabled 47 children and adults with albinism in the districts of Pallisa, Bugiri and Butalejja to receive comprehensive skin checks from our dermatologists Dr. Inena and Dr. Ngobi. 23 out of those checked required cryotherapy to remove pre-cancerous lesions, indicating how crucial these regular assessments are to keep people safe from developing skin cancer. All of the clinic attendees received new supplies of high SPF sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats, as well as sunglasses if required.

As ever, alongside the practical support of dermatological checks, SNUPA team members were on hand to lend a listening ear and provide counselling and advice to attendees struggling with a variety of challenges. The concerns shared during these clinics help shape SNUPA and Advantage Africa’s strategic planning and priorities. They ensure that we are addressing the real issues raised by people with albinism, and parents and carers, themselves.

For example, at the Bugiri District clinic SNUPA told us, ‘One parent reported experiencing persistent discrimination from family members following the birth of their child with albinism. The situation escalated to the extent that the father abandoned the family. This highlights the continued need for community sensitization and family counselling, from the moment of birth, to prevent albinism-related stigma.’

Everyone in attendance at the clinics is equipped to be confident in their understanding of albinism during the comprehensive health talks that start each session. Edmond of SNUPA reminds attendees that ‘It's only through properly understanding albinism that parents and persons with the condition can stand up and sensitize the communities against the myths and misconceptions surrounding it.’

Vision-care and photochromatic spectacles for young people with albinism are also consistent, pressing priorities brought up during the clinics. We are doing our best to respond to these needs to ensure that pupils with albinism don’t miss out on education, can reach their full academic potential and improve their future outlooks.

In the past quarter, your gifts through GlobalGiving also contributed to a large skin clinic held in Jinja in July. This was part of the slightly delayed commemoration of International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) 2025 which SNUPA’s normally holds each year on 13th June. Very aptly, the United Nation’s theme for IAAD 2025 was ‘Demanding our rights: Protect our skin, preserve our lives.’ SNUPA’s skin clinic helped to do just that: 130 people with albinism received dermatological checks and of these 50 received cryotherapy treatments. All 250 children and adults with albinism who attended our IAAD event received sun protection materials including sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats, and the majority received new long-sleeved shirts.

Things are slowly changing for the better, but we must not let up in our determination to help people with albinism to protect their skin and preserve their lives. In the words of the SNUPA team reporting from these latest clinics ‘We are continuously grateful for all your support!’