Albinism Fiji believes a multi-sectorial approach needs to be taken to address albinism and skin cancer.

People with albinism lack color pigment which produces color in the eyes, skin and hair.

Project Coordinator, Sainimili Tawake says people with albinism face many forms of discrimination.

Tawake says people with albinism are always victimized, bullied and abused and there should be more awareness to address this.

“We need the health workers, we need our families, and we need our friends to help us to understand our condition. Because of our condition many of the myths say that were are result of a curse or we are a result of some kind of witchcraft which is not so true. Look at it from a medical perspective because we lack the pigment.”

Tawake says people need to understand their condition and certain factors need to be addressed to enable people with albinism to live fully and participate actively in their own society.

People with albinism also have a high chance of developing skin cancer.

There are one hundred and eighty people with albinism in the country of which two have been diagnosed with skin cancer.