Angola: Specialist Defends Strategic Plan to Support People With Albinism

7 June 2026
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)

Ondjiva — Dr. Oksana Yalovenko, a dermatologist at the Central Hospital of Lubango, Huila province, defended on Sunday in Ondjiva (Cunene) the implementation of a strategic plan in municipalities for social support for people with albinism.

Speaking to ANGOP on the sidelines of the 2026 edition of the skin cancer screening campaign for people with albinism, the specialist said the municipal administrations should have a program focused on identification, registration, and support, particularly regarding access to specialized consultations and the distribution of sunscreen and eyeglasses.

She indicated that the objective would be to promote social inclusion and offer basic health, education, and socioeconomic support services, guaranteeing protection against stigma and safeguarding their dignity.

The dermatologist added that many people feel abandoned and excluded from their own society, which is why concrete measures must be taken to support them and increase their visibility.

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She emphasized that Cunene is one of the hottest provinces in the country, and people with albinism have fragile skin, which is why there is an urgent need to create effective measures to protect them from dermatological problems caused by sun exposure.

The specialist called for the need to strengthen educational actions in communities to eliminate prejudice against these people, aiming to promote respect and defend the rights and freedoms of people with albinism.

"Today we are here to diagnose skin cancer in as many patients as possible and ensure adequate treatment both locally and, in more serious cases, refer them to the Lubango Central Hospital," she said.

The activity is part of the celebrations of the International Albinism Awareness Day to be marked on June 13, under the initiative of the National Health Service and the College of Dermatology and Venereology of the Angolan Medical Association.

The skin cancer screening campaign for people with albinism involves three doctors, two from the Lubango Central Hospital and one from the General Simione Mucune Hospital in Cunene.

At least 370 people with albinism are monitored by the Association for the Support of People with Albinism (ALPA) in Cunene, more than 70 percent of whom live in vulnerable conditions. PEM/LHE/ACS/AMP

Read the original article on ANGOP.

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