NEW DELHI: Often mocked as "Suraj-mukhi" (sun-facing) or "Angrez" (British) due to their pale skin tone, as many as two lakh Indians, including health professionals, suffering from Albinism - a rare genetic condition - face daily exposure to harmful UV radiation and social discrimination.
Taking up their cause, Doctors with Disabilities: Agents of Change, a body of health professionals with disabilities for social justice, has written to the 25th World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines, to include sunscreen on the Essential Medicines List.
In the letter to the members of the expert committee, Dr Satendra Singh, the group's founder and a noted disability rights champion, said, “We write to express our strong and wholehearted support for the inclusion of sunscreen on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, a matter to be discussed at your forthcoming 25th meeting in Geneva, from May 5 to 9.”
“Adopting this critical decision is not only a matter of public health - it is a climate justice and human rights imperative. Sunscreen is far more than a cosmetic product. It is a vital, life-saving medical intervention, particularly for persons with albinism, who face unique biological vulnerabilities to ultraviolet (UV) radiation,” Dr Singh, who is also a Director Professor of the Department of Physiology, University College of Medical Sciences and G.T.B Hospital, Delhi, said.
“This is especially critical in regions with high UV exposure, where individuals with albinism often lack access to affordable, adequate sun protection. The consequences are dire: disproportionately high rates of skin damage, disfigurement, and preventable mortality due to skin cancer,” the letter, dated April 20, said.
In India alone, over 200,000 individuals, including health professionals, live with albinism, a rare genetic condition caused by mutations or changes in certain genes that affect the amount of melanin the body produces. Melanin controls the pigmentation (colour) of the skin, eyes, and hair.
Highlighting that people suffering from Albinism are often subjected to social discrimination and harmful stereotypes due to their pale skin tone, the letter further said, “Ironically, in a society where light skin is often idealised and dark skin is stigmatised, individuals with albinism still face prejudice, exclusion, and mockery, compounding their already fragile health condition.”
“Their experience highlights how social and structural discrimination exacerbates health inequities, especially in low-resource settings,” the letter said.
Dr Singh quoted the United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Persons with Albinism 2023 report, which reaffirmed that sunscreen must be recognised and treated as an essential health product, not a luxury or cosmetic item.
“We echo that view and emphasise that the failure to provide equitable access to sunscreen is a manifestation of systemic health inequity affecting marginalised populations,” Dr Singh, who is also co-chair of the International Council for Disability Inclusion in Medical Education, said.
“Including sunscreen in the WHO Essential Medicines List would mark a historic and science-based step forward, affirming the Committee’s commitment to inclusive, equitable, and rights-based global health policy. It would also signal leadership in addressing the intersections of disability, climate vulnerability, and access to care,” the letter added.
“We respectfully urge the Committee to seize this opportunity to protect lives, advance health equity, and uphold the rights and dignity of people with albinism and other vulnerable groups worldwide,” it added.
Dr Singh further emphasised that sunscreen is the shield and not a luxury but a necessity for people suffering from Albinism.