Sunscreens option for disorder sufferers
The local manufacture of sunscreens for persons with albinism is being looked into as a form of support for people suffering from the congenital disorder. This was revealed by AttorneyGeneral and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at the 20182019 National Budget consultation at the Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons (FNCDP) in Suva on Friday.
Fiji Albinism project officer Sainimili Tawake requested the sourcing of better sunscreen lotions for people with albinism.
Ms Tawake said they received donations of lotions from overseas, but added that this would run out some time soon.
“We hope to see local manufacturers produce sunscreens which need to be equivalent and need proper ingredients for a person with albinism,” she said.
Ms Tawake said persons with albinism were prone to skin cancer. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Fiji recently had a visit from the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, Ikponwosa Ero, and they discussed the manufacturing of sunscreens.
“We discussed the manufacture of the lotions, models planned out. We have some idea of it and this would be generally marketed to tourists also and the funds will be for the various projects for persons with albinism,” he said.
“We are looking at that and it would be price friendly.” Albinism in humans is a congenital disorder characterised by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. Albinism is associated with a number of vision defects, such as photophobia, nystagmus, and amblyopia. Lack of skin pigmentation makes for more susceptibility to sunburn and skin cancers. Meanwhile, various other submissions were made to Mr Sayed-Khaiyum and these included;
More grants for Frank Hilton Organisation to build and support the local children with disabilities;
Albinism Fiji made submissions for the Ministry for Health to work with various divisional and subdivisional medical officers including nurses and doctors and other health officers, to promote albinism. Also more training for community outreach programme and government stakeholders to understand that albinism is a disability;
Providing some incentive to have a nationwide research on persons with albinism;
Rehabilitation of the Tamavua Rehab Centre because its condition was deteriorating;
Construction of a vocational school for persons with disabilities in Nausori because disabled persons were not able to meet and perform in technical colleges;
Setting up of disabled-friendly evacuation centres;
FNCDP calling for more funding for more skilled training to be provided for those with disabilities at grassroots level; and
Requests for free medical consumables.