An albino girl in Mwanza Region, Tanzania, appeals to hospital management for shelter for her and two sisters rather than return home after treatment for fear of being killed by people looking for albino organs.
Bibiana Mbushi (10) is admitted at Geita District Hospital in the Lake Zone Area after she was recently attacked and had her right leg cut off and snatched by unidentified people.
“It is ridiculous that some people can do this to me. I feel safer to stay here with my younger albino sister Tindichebwa (7) and elder sister Sikujua Mbushi (13) (who is not albino) than go back home because my younger sister and I may be killed at anytime. I appeal to the hospital management to provide us with shelter here,” says Bibiana.
While in a fearful mood, Bibiana says ordeal is utterly cruelty. So, she fears if she returns to her home village she may easily fall prey to albino killers who look for albino organs.
According to the district hospital chief nurse, Rosemary Binamungu, the girl’s wound has healed and she has been given clutches to help her walk. “She is likely to be discharged at anytime from now,” says the nurse.
Bibiana is an orphan after she lost both parents a few years ago. She stays with her aunt.
She is grateful to her doctor and nurses who have taken care of her.
Albino organs are currently hot cake in the country as some people believe they possess magical powers that can make them rich in no time. Sources say over 30 albinos have been killed since 2006, while others put the number at 50.
Mwanza is one of the regions where albinos have been killed by people involved in fishing and mining activities. Other regions are Mara and Shinyanga. The three have gold mines and are also involved in Nile Perch fishing (Mwanza and Mara).
Tanzania is the third gold producer in Africa after South Africa and Ghana.