“Social, Societal And Attitudinal Bearers Limit Access To Health By Deaf Women” -DWAI Executive Director
The Albino Foundation Public Notice
The Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI), an NGO based in Abuja, has complained that Social, societal and attitudinal bearers limit accessibility of deaf women to health services and facilities.
The DWAI Executive Director of DWAI, Mrs. Hellen Beyiokwu-Alasie made this clear during an advocacy visit to the management and staff of University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja.
The visit is part of programmes by the NGO to mark the International Day for sign language, a language used by deaf
“Dwai advocate for and amplify the voice of deaf women to access sexual and reproductive care. Deaf women are victim of rape and other sexual abuses.
“Every September is International Week for sign language for the deaf as stipulated by the United Nations Convention to create awareness on sign language and the deaf.
“This month is set aside for creating awareness on access to health and other issues as related to deaf. For this reason, we in DWAI are happy to visit the University Teaching Hospital to create awareness on deaf women health and reproductive issues.
“Deaf women are like everyone of us, they have health and sexual needs like everyone. Women rights are deaf women rights too.
“Creating access to health is also important for deaf women. Deaf women are limited due to bearers exiting in the health sector.
“Social, societal and attitudinal bearers limit access to health by deaf women.
“We are here today to advocate against these bearers. A doctor attending to a deaf patient need a measure of sign language to communicate effectively with the deaf.
“We have many deaf pregnant deaf women, I as a mother of 4 children have had bitter experiences. When a nurse or doctor or medical practitioners try to communicate, we miss much of the instructions and information handed to us deaf patient.
“This awareness today is aimed at helping medical practitioners to understand deaf needs and break communication bearers that exits. Our slogans include “Nothing about us without us”, “no society is beautiful with inclusion”,
In response, The Chief medical Director (CMD), University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Prof. Bissala Ekele, represented by The Manager, Ante-natal, Umar Khadijat express appreciation for the initiative to visit the hospital.
The CMD explained that the hospital is doing well to create an inclusive environment as the hospital employs PWD and attends to PWD without discrimibntation.
Although not having a sign language interpreter, the hospital communicates with deaf through written English.
DWAI handed the hospital copies of the Sign Language Glossary, advocacy tools and souvenirs.
