Adam Robert

The albino boy who had three of his fingers cut off in Mwanza Region four months ago arrived in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday evening for further treatment.

The boy, Adam Robert, arrived at the Julius Nyerere International Airport accompanied by his mother, Sabina Saliboko, his brother Salum who is also an albino and his doctor, Dr Patrick Bulugu and proceeded straight to Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) for further treatment.

The trip was made possible by Under the Same Sun (UTSS), an organization campaigning for the rights of albinos, which provided air tickets for and will foot the medical bill at the hospital.

Speaking to reporters soon after Adam arrived, the UTSS Executive Director, Vicky Ntetema said that Adam still requires professional medical attention because the attack affected the nerves on his left arm, which had several nerves severed.

She said that although some of the wounds seem to have healed on the surface, the boy still cannot use his two hands because of the extent of damage on them.

“When the founder of UTSS visited the boy in Geita Hospital in November, last year, he promised to take care of his medical expenses before taking him to school and that is exactly what we are doing,” she said.

She said medical experts at the MNH will train Adam on how to use his remaining two fingers on his right hand so that he can be able to take care of himself, since at the moment he depends on his mother to take care of him.

UTSS is working closely with the Tanzania Albino Society (TAS), who will cater for the education of Adam and his brother and already they have identified a school in the outskirts of Dar es Salaam where Adam’s brother, Salum, will also attend.

The TAS Chairman, Ernest Kimaya said that after the call made by Adam to assist him in getting education, TAS decided to take up the challenge and educate the boy and his brother.

He, however, said that Adam will require special attention because he dropped out of school two years ago, therefore he needs several months of close monitoring before he could catch up with the rest of the class.

By ANTHONY TAMBWE, Tanzania Daily News

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