Global Aid Missions, a non-governmental organization that supports people with Albinism, has opened the first ever free clinic for people living with albinism in Harare which is situated at number 53 Central Avenue in Harare.
In a statement released today, GAM said people with Albinism (PWA) have been for a long time marginalized from the mainstream healthcare services due to stigmatization and poverty, and the purpose of this clinic is to close the gap.
“Our mission is to make the lives of people with Albinism a living experience through the service provision of GP Consultations, Sexual Reproductive Health Services, Ophthalmology Services, Dental Services as well as Dermatological Services.
“In the process, we will be collecting baseline data for the purposes of coming up with interventions towards the reduction of early life mortality for PWA. At the moment the clinic is offering GP Consultations, Family Planning Services, HIV/AIDS Testing and Counselling, Medical Examinations and Immunization.
“We still need assistance with incapacitating the Ophthalmology, Dermatology and Dental rooms at the clinic. Nevertheless, there is some emphasis on equipping the Dermatology room as it is key for the early detection of cancerous lesions. This will greatly help with the reduction of early life mortality among people with albinism,” the organisation said.
GMA added that plans to open more clinics around Zimbabwe are in the pipeline with the Clinic Project structured in a way that makes it able to sustain itself.
The clinic will only be free to people with albinism while the general public will pay a subsidized charity fee.