Physical Health Uganda Project #53987

End skin cancer for people with albinism in Uganda

by Advantage Africa

Project Report | Mar 11, 2025
Overcoming challenges together

By Jane Betts | Programme Manager

A woman's skin examination in Pallisa District

Since our last update, with your support we have undertaken skin clinics for people with albinism in the districts of Budaka, Butalejja, Kibuuku and Pallisa. 80 children and adults received comprehensive skin checks and 50 required cryotherapy to remove pre-cancerous lesions. All of our clinics were held in district health centres and hospitals as we continue to involve local health workers and increase their knowledge about the skincare and health needs of people with albinism.

As always during our skin clinics, attendees were able to find friendship and solidarity with their fellow participants as well as to share recent challenges. People with albinism continue to be fearful of venturing out alone as ingrained myths and misconceptions that their body parts have magical powers can put them at risk of assault and abduction. A handful of people shared recent experiences where they felt unsafe and that their security was threatened. The SNUPA team and other participants were able to provide comfort and advice. This again underlines how our skin clinics’ assistance extends far beyond skin care and that there is a continuing need to sensitise wider communities about albinism.

During this period our stocks of life-saving sunscreen were unfortunately still running extremely low and the SNUPA team had to limit the numbers of bottles distributed in order to reach as many people as possible. Our dermatologist Dr. Ngobi advised the clinic attendees to take extra precautions to keep their skin safe including seeking shade between 10am and 4pm when the sun’s rays are at their strongest and always wearing their wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeved clothing. Faruk of the SNUPA team reported ‘We encouraged them to use the sunscreen efficiently and where possible share with others in need as we urgently seek new supplies of sunscreen. This scarcity has created anxiety among persons with albinism. They (and we) are continuously praying for God’s providence so we can provide free sunscreen lotions to the most vulnerable persons with albinism in Uganda.’

Reliable access to good quality sunscreen is crucial in our work to end skin cancer among people with albinism in Uganda. Inadequate supplies very quickly have a devastating impact on the health of people’s skin and on their ability to go about their daily lives. In the Butaleja clinic the SNUPA team reported that since their last visit ‘Unfortunately many persons with albinism had terrible skin. Many had skin and lips which were dry, raw and painful.’ People with albinism need continuity of care to protect their skin and with your help we will do all we can to help them stay safe as well as call for national attention, provision and support in Uganda.

Thanks to the generosity of Ultrasun UK, we were eventually able to secure a new consignment of high sun protection factor sunscreen which reached SNUPA in early December 2024, and was safely stacked in their office in Jinja ready for the next busy schedule of skin clinics.

Our work together to help people with albinism stay safe from skin cancer is challenging and the current global climate and withdrawal of resources from many quarters makes it more difficult still. Your support is needed more than ever. Please spread the word - and thank you so much for your help and encouragement.

Dr. Ngobi administering cryotherapy

Clinic attendees demonstrate sunscreen application

A young man in Butaleja with painful, dry skin

Peter of SNUPA with vital new sunscreen supplies

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Nov 19, 2024
Striving together to end skin cancer

By Jane Betts | Programme Manager

Training a local medical worker in cryotherapy

It’s been a busy few months since we last updated you. With your support, we’ve carried out our regular district skin clinics in eastern Uganda, supported refugees with albinism in the west of the country, undertaken treatment and reviews for people with skin cancer and held a very large skin clinic during our International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) commemorations.

During this period, your donations have helped our partner SNUPA to hold skin clinics in the districts of Kibuku, Butaleja and Pallisa. 49 children and adults attended the clinics and received thorough skin checks and sun protective resources. 28 required cryotherapy from our expert dermatologists to remove pre-cancerous lesions. During each clinic the team reminded attendees about the effects of the sun, how to protect themselves and recognise early signs of skin cancer.

As well as providing vital skin cancer protection services, SNUPA’s clinics continue to boost the visibility and confidence of people with albinism and help them to be fully included in the life of their communities. Holding the clinics within public health centres means that local medical workers are also able to learn about skin cancer prevention and care. During the clinics they take the opportunity to reassure people with albinism, who so often feel excluded and overlooked, that general health care services are available for them too.

Hundreds of people with albinism travelled from far and wide to attend SNUPA’s International Albinism Awareness Day commemoration, joining in a vibrant, joyful march through the city to raise awareness about the condition, and finding friendship and solidarity together. Peter, Director of SNUPA said, ‘People with albinism look forward to IAAD all year. It is like their Christmas Day!’ Our skin clinic held during IAAD enabled hundreds of children and adults to receive skin checks, supplies of sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeved clothing. 856 bottles of high SPF sunscreen were distributed during the day, vital to help people with albinism keep safe.

Unfortunately, SNUPA’s stocks of sunscreen are currently depleted and we are working hard to try to secure new supplies. Meanwhile the team is advising people with albinism to stay out of the sun and to always wear their wide-brimmed hats and protective clothing if they have to venture outside. Regular access to high quality sunscreen is an immense challenge for people with albinism in Uganda. In the words of Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, United Nations Independent Expert on Albinism: ‘Sunscreen is not a cosmetic product for people with albinism – it is a life-saving medical product that can prolong and improve the quality of life for many who don’t have the means to afford it.’

With this in mind, please would you consider signing the following petition recently launched by the Africa Albinism Network (not affiliated with GlobalGiving) https://africaalbinismnetwork.org/petition/ which calls on the World Health Organisation to restore sunscreen to their list of essential medicines?

Thank you for all you are doing to help people with albinism live longer, fuller lives!

Doctor gives warm welcome to Kibuku health centre

Marching together through Jinja on IAAD

Friendship and food during IAAD

SNUPA's IAAD skin clinic in full flow

Sunscreen is a life-saving medical product

Links:

Africa Albinism Network petition to World Health Organisation

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Jul 29, 2024
Pursuing daily lives, safely and confidently

By Jane Betts | Programme Manager

Cryotherapy provided at our Butalejja skin clinic

Since our last update, you have helped 38 children and adults with albinism from Butaleja, Pallisa and Budaka in south-eastern Uganda to receive comprehensive dermatological checks during our district skin clinics. These checks were vital and timely as nearly three quarters (27 people) required treatment with cryotherapy to prevent small pre-cancerous lesions from developing further. All 38 attendees received supplies of high sun protection factor sunscreen and lip protection as well as wide-brimmed hats as needed.

As always, our dermatologist and the SNUPA team gave health talks and provided one-to-one advice during the clinics, emphasising the importance of dressing appropriately, using sunscreen to prevent skin cancer and keeping an eye out for skin changes and new lesions. Some parents commented that they find it difficult to ensure their children always wear wide-brimmed hats when outside. One mother from Butalejja told SNUPA, ‘Our children are still stubborn! They put on the hat when at home, but when playing with others, somehow they put off the hats.This has affected their skins.’ SNUPA team members are redoubling their efforts during the skin clinics to engage with children and young people to help them understand the importance of covering their skin when outside.

Myths and misunderstanding still prevail among some newer attendees at our clinics which is why our health talks and chance to chat with other participants is so important to build knowledge and change attitudes. For example, during the Pallisa clinic the mother of a baby with albinism shared the fact that when her baby was born ‘…during my visits at the hospital I was told that the doctors missed out some medicines which made the colour of my child to change.’ Faruk of SNUPA told us ‘It was interesting that a fellow parent immediately corrected her that giving birth to a child with albinism is hereditary.’

Across the period of these clinics Uganda experienced some unusually hot and sunny weather (indicative of high UV radiation), with daily temperatures of 35 degrees centigrade (95 degrees Fahrenheit). Such conditions are particularly challenging for people with albinism and have severe effects on the condition of their skin and on their ability to go to school or work. The people we support profess their relief and gratitude for the regular skin clinics and protective resources they receive. Without them, they would be unable to safely and confidently get on with their daily lives. The help of people like you is vital in continuing this work and enabling people with albinism to improve their health, self-reliance and prospects. Please continue to stand with us and spread the word to others who may be interested in this life-saving project by sharing this link: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/end-skin-cancer-for-people-with-albinism-in-uganda/

Thank you for all your support!

Families assemble for a skin clinic

Our health talks provide advice and reassurance

Cryogun and sunscreen - life-saving resources

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