Kenya: Although Sh100 million is allocated to people living with albinism to acquire sunscreen lotions every year these funds are hardly spent because there is nowhere to channel it.
Previously such funds were channeled to the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) board but it was dissolved last year owing to corruption.
This has infuriated special interest groups since funding has been severely restricted. They now claim six people have died of skin cancer because they lack lotions.
Kituo cha Sheria, the Albinism Foundation of East Africa (AFEA) and the Albinism Society of Kenya are now asking why only token amounts of the allocated funds are utilised.
Kituo cha Sheria (Centre for Legal Empowerment) Executive Director Gertrude Angote says having participated in a petition that ushered in laws that paved way for the funding, the centre wants to know why those targeted to benefit have been left to their own devices.
“We raised alarm because we are concerned. It is unfair that thousands of people living with albinism suffer yet funds allocated are lying idle somewhere. This can even give room for misappropriation,” said Angote, also a Law Society of Kenya council member.
In June 2011, Kituo Cha Sheria and AFEA petitioned the Parliamentary Budget Committee to lay the groundwork for State funding that would allow people living with albinism access sunscreen lotions.
“Out of our petition, the Committee agreed to allocate Sh100 million which was factored in the 2011/2012 budget,” says Kituo Cha Sheria Programme Officer Waithaka Thuku.
“From our investigations, only a few people living with albinism benefited at select district hospitals. Our concern is why this programme is not working effectively,” said Thuku.
Kituo Cha Sheria had petitioned that the funds be routed through the Ministry of Health as it was best placed to deal with the growing number of skin cancer cases among albinos.
“We wanted the Ministry of Health to be in-charge because it has the requisite infrastructure and network. The funds should never have been channeled through other avenues” says Wambui Kairi, the AFEA Managing Trustee.
However, as civil society look for answers over the funds, ODM nominated Member of Parliament Isaac Mwaura plans to table a Bill in Parliament which seeks to create a committee to coordinate funds allocated to people living with albinism and handle issues that deal with their general welfare.
Procurement anomalies
Mwaura, who is also the Coordinator of the Albinism Society of Kenya, said there had been a tussle between Gender and Health ministries when the funds were first provided in the 2011/2012 financial year.
“The problem was that funds were provided in the budget, however, there were no structures to ensure the target group benefits. There was a tussle between the two ministries although we, as the Albinisim Society of Kenya, had recommended that the funds be handled by the National Council for People with Disabilities,” says Mwaura.
“Currently the funds go to the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services where the NCPD falls. However, due to procurement anomalies and corruption, the NCPD board was dissolved in July last year and the Chief Executive recalled. The Sh300 million is, therefore, lying unused in the NCPD bank accounts, and my amendment before the National Assembly aims to unlock the stalemate,” says Mwaura.
Labour Minister Kazungu Kambi had indicated last December that his ministry had developed policies to improve the welfare of people with albinism in accordance with the National Disability Policy of 2006.
Kambi had announced that the NCPD had budgeted to spend Sh770 million to support 27,200 households caring for people with disability and Sh100 million to purchase sunscreen lotions for 2,500 people living with albinism.
Mwaura wants his amendment Bill given priority when the House resumes on October 14. Angote and Wambui concur that accountability should prevail in the way millions of shillings earmarked for people living with albinism are utilised.
Waithaka says Kituo cha Sheria and AFEA have petitioned the Budget committee to increase allocations for sunscreen lotions from Sh100 million annually to Sh153 million for the 2015/2016 financial year.
“We have also petitioned the committee to provide Sh680 million for the purchase of radio therapy machines for cancer patients, and distribute them to referral hospitals in the Western, Eastern and Coast regions,” said Thuku. Kituo cha Sheria had asked for Sh1.6 million for the purchase of reading boxes to benefit at least 800 short-sighted students.
National centre
In May, people with albinism asked for increased funding from the current Sh100 million to Sh400 million to cater for the purchase of sunscreen lotions and cancer treatment machines.
Mwaura had told the Budget committee that only 2,500 people living with albinism had benefited from the sunscreen lotions so far. To streamline payments to disadvantaged groups, Budget Committee Vice-Chairman Webuye East MP Alfred Sambu asked albinism associations to provide his office with a register of their members.
Wambui says they have been relying on estimates because the 2009 census did not give figures of those living with albinism.
