Kabale Vitiligo Patients Call for Increased Awareness to Combat Stigma
Patients with vitiligo in Kabale District, have expressed the need for increased awareness and sensitization about the condition, saying that this will help to fight the stigma they face in their daily life.
The Patients expressed the need today during a meeting that was held at Hilltop Hotel in Kabale Municipality, organized by the Vitiligo Association of Uganda, a nongovernmental organization, which advocates for rights of people living with the condition.
Dominic Begumisa, Jackline Tusasirwe, Pricilla Orikiriza, and Edvinah Mbabazi, all vitiligo patients in Kabale District, said they feel frustrated with the persistent stigmatization from some members of the public, which they say negatively impacts their quality of life.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Vitiligo Association of Uganda, Vivian Najjuka and Rachael Namanda, a researcher in the NGO, said all stakeholders, should disseminate accurate information about vitiligo, especially informing the public that it is a non-contagious autoimmune disorder, which occurs when cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning.
