By Folasade Akpan
The Chief Executive Officer of the Albino Foundation, Mr Jake Epelle, says the foundation has referred no fewer than 5,500 persons with albinism skin cancer to the National Hospital Abuja (NHA) for treatment.
He made the disclosure when he featured as special guest on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum on Sunday in Abuja.
Epelle, who is also the founder of the organisation, said that the foundation established the first free skin cancer treatment in Africa for persons with albinism.
According to him, treatment for the referrals cost more than N30 million.
He said “when we recognised that persons with albinism had severe issues with skin cancer, we approached the government and we established the first free skin cancer treatment; it was the first in the continent.
“So far, we have referred close to 5,500 persons to the National Hospital for treatment.
“It was an agreement we made with Obasanjo as a President and then Yar’adua and then Goodluck Jonathan; even the current administration endorsed that project.
“The administration of Goodluck Jonathan actually paid National Hospital N17.8 million and those funds would have come to Albino Foundation.
“I said to the then Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, please pay the National Hospital directly and National Hospital was paid directly.”
On other interventions, he said that government had given the foundation a listening ear.
He, however, said that in terms of funding and strengthening the foundation, it did not get much.
According to him, the foundation endeavours to strategically get its activities executed.
“We have a grant from the European Union and, unknown to many people, government has to sign; there are three signatures that are required, the government signature, the EU signature and the Albino foundation signature.
“In terms of government support, we get moral support and we get platform support, but it stops at that.”
According to him, the foundation also gets funding for its projects from a few corporate bodies and international organisations.
Epelle said such funds were tied to projects of the foundation which ensures strict execution. (NAN)
