We are not carriers of coronavirus, stop tagging us – Person with Albinism

A social worker living with albinism, Kwame Andrews Daklo, says it is unfair for persons with albinism to be tagged as coronavirus carriers due to their condition.

His comment comes on the back of the various humiliations people who are melanin deficient endure on a daily basis, especially since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic.



Read full articleSpeaking to GhanaWeb, the social worker raised concerns about the need to dispel such notions because it has no scientific backing.

Kwame recounting instances he personally had to deal with stigma due to the colour of his skin, shared how someone referred to him as a COVID-19 man.

“I was out one last night and when a certain guy saw me, he started shouting, ‘coronavirus man! Coronavirus man!’ but I did not even bother to mind him because I was in a hurry, so I just walked away.”

“This is a popular experience I keep encountering since the coronavirus pandemic hit all aspects of the world. I don’t even know where people get that perception from,” he said.

He also indicated that people with albinism are more likely to become victims of violence and rape.

“Rape of women with albinism is often thought to cure infertility and AIDS. Opportunistic witch doctors incite violence by peddling the myth that the body parts of a person with albinism can generate wealth and fortune when used in witchcraft,” Kwame said.

He, therefore, called on all and sundry to stand with people with albinism in their fight to live a life that is free of stigma.