back to top
POSTED IN

Skin cancer kills 70 persons with albinism in 4 years

Skin cancer has killed 70 persons with albinism between 2020 and 2024, the Association of Persons with Albinism (APAM) has disclosed. 

APAM president Young Mhamba made the remarks in an interview on Monday, saying  persons with albinism continue facing challenges of skin cancer due to lack of employment and unavailability of lotions in clinics.

“In Malawi, lotions are found in places where they do routine cancer prevention clinics, for example in the Central Region and Southern Region. We have started penetrating in the Northern Region though clinics have not started vibrantly,” he said.

Muhamba: Persons with albinism continue to face challenges

“We have been able to train health professionals to make sure that people with albinism who are diagnosed with skin cancer by the end of this year will be commencing in all the districts of the Northern Region,” he added.

Muhamba further said a lot of persons with albinism are not economically independent; hence, they are living in impoverished conditions.

“You find that cancer is very common among people who are poorer than people who are well to do because poor persons with albinism are mainly involved in small scale tasks like farming, tailoring and other jobs that are mainly done in the sun that exposes them more to the sun,” he explained.

Related articles

Govt urged to invest more in biotech research

Technology experts have tipped the Government of Malawi to increase investment in agriculture biotechnology for the country to fast-track its social and economic aspirations.

World Bank responds to Chakwera’s declaration of State of Disaster with $57.6m additional funding to support hunger-stricken households

Barely a few weeks after President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera declared 23 districts as State of Disaster following the prolonged dry spells that hit Malawi in March this year, the World has released additional funding amounting to $57.6 million to help Lilongwe respond to the weather-induced hunger crisis.

Chakwera rejects SONA accusations

President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has expressed disappointment over accusations that he was dishonest during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on February 14, 2025.

Rumphi applauded for containing Cholera outbreak

Parliamentary Committee on Health has said it was impressed with strides which are being undertaken by Rumphi District Hospital to contain Cholera cases from over 1,044 cumulative cases to three as of January 11, 2023.