NEW YORK - Skin cancer is one of the highest causes of death among persons with albinism, with more persons with albinism dying due to skin cancer related complications than to ritual attacks, said Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism, at the UN General Assembly today.
"The incremental rise in ultraviolet radiation and climate related disasters implies that persons with albinism are disproportionately at risk of contracting skin cancer regardless of their geographic location," Miti-Drummond said. "This is a bleak and unfortunate reality which can and must be reversed to protect the albinism community globally."
In her report, the expert made an urgent appeal for global action. She highlighted the grim statistics underlining the research on skin cancer, particularly in Africa, where persons with albinism are up to 1,000 times more likely to develop skin cancer, compared with the general population, and an estimated 98 per cent do not live beyond 40 years of age if sun protective precautions are not adopted - with skin cancer responsible for at least four fifths of those deaths.
Due to a lack of melanin, persons with albinism are susceptible to skin damage from the sun and are particularly vulnerable in areas with high ultraviolet index and poor access to sunscreen. The various forms of skin damage include sunburn, photoaging, solar lentigines and actinic keratoses as well as skin cancer.
"There is a deplorable dearth of official data and statistics on the impact of skin cancer on persons with albinism despite the existence of international and national research programs on cancer in general," Miti-Drumond said. "I implore States to carry out the necessary research and data collection which will enable appropriately targeted measures to be implemented," she said.
The report contains recommendations to be implemented by States to ensure people with albinism's right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health is respected. The expert urged States to work with albinism groups in their respective countries in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of relevant programs to tackle skin cancer in persons with albinism.
"Failure to prevent foreseeable and unnecessary deaths to skin cancer is not just a violation of the right to health, but a violation of the right to life," Miti-Drumond said.
