Home Albinism News Albinism Association Urges Immediate Action on National Policy Implementation Five Years After Approval

Albinism Association Urges Immediate Action on National Policy Implementation Five Years After Approval

by Inclusive News Network
Children With Albinism

The Albinism Association of Nigeria (AAN) has intensified its call for the immediate implementation of the National Albinism Policy, a critical framework developed to address the unique challenges of persons with albinism in Nigeria. Although the policy was drafted in 2019 with a five-year implementation timeline, the federal government has yet to enforce it, leading to growing frustration within the albinism community.

AAN brought this issue to the forefront during a one-day interactive session with the Nigerian media. The goal of the meeting was to raise awareness, tackle widespread misconceptions, and advocate for the rights of individuals with albinism by promoting the provisions of the National Albinism Policy. Among the attendees were media professionals, civil society organizations, health experts, and other stakeholders who are deeply invested in the welfare of the albinism community.

Mrs. Bisi Bamishe, AAN’s President and Executive Director, delivered a passionate speech at the event, where she stressed the importance of the media in transforming societal attitudes towards persons with albinism. She emphasized that without accurate reporting and continuous advocacy, the National Albinism Policy will remain a forgotten document rather than the life-changing tool it was intended to be.

“The National Policy on Albinism was conceived to address the multifaceted issues faced by persons with albinism, from education and healthcare access to social inclusion and economic empowerment. It was supposed to be implemented by December 2024, but so far, there has been no substantial progress,” Mrs. Bamishe remarked.

She went on to highlight the urgency of the situation: “Because the policy has not been put into action, persons with albinism continue to suffer due to ignorance, societal neglect, and the absence of structural support. It is now critical that the policy be reviewed and enforced to alleviate these challenges.”

Mrs. Bamishe also underlined the need for the media to report on albinism issues with care and respect, particularly in combating myths and stigma. She said respectful and accurate coverage could significantly enhance public understanding of the condition and further efforts toward policy implementation.

AAN Lagos State Chairman, Mr. Omotolani Ojuri, also spoke at the meeting, reiterating AAN’s mission to protect the rights and improve the lives of those with albinism and expressed hope that through collaborative efforts with the media, the policy could finally be enforced.

“Together with the media, we can create a society that respects and empowers individuals with albinism. Your work is crucial to this effort, and we are deeply grateful for your commitment to amplifying our voices,” Mr. Ojuri said.

The interactive session concluded with attendees brainstorming actionable strategies to move forward. These included strengthening media campaigns, running educational programs on albinism, and increasing advocacy efforts to ensure policymakers prioritize the issue.

Leave a Comment

* By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You may also like

Adblock Detected

Please support us by disabling your AdBlocker extension from your browsers for our website.