by Chris Agbo,
After the DWAI’s launch of glossary for sexual & reproductive health in Nigeria sign- language on Thursday 10th, December, 2020, the following day Friday 11th December, 2020, they put together a one-day training and capacity building for Health workers and deaf women on the usage of glossary of sexual and reproductive health in Nigeria Sign Language.
The event which is part of DWAI’s Voice Nigeria sponsored project to enhance access to healthcare services for deaf women and girls, the training was to demonstrate the use of the glossary between the health workers and Deaf women.
The Executive Director of Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI), Hellen Beiyoku-Alase described the training as necessary because the health workers should understand how to use the sign language glossary that was newly launched. “We brought together health workers and Deaf women because the glossary is meant to enhance communication between them in the health facilities. This meeting is also meant to build the capacity of the health workers to understand deaf women better and how to communicate effectively with them.
She also spoke about total communication which she described as the ability to communicate effectively with the next person and the person is able to understand. The communication barriers has been the greatest challenge deaf women are facing at the health facilities. Another barrier is attitudinal which has put off so many deaf women from going to hospital. This wrong attitude towards Deaf women are perpetuated more by nurses, doctors have better understanding and are more friendly. She said “It is better I go to the church to give birth instead of going to hospital where I will be discriminated upon”.
She suggested that hospitals should improve in putting inscriptions which would be clearly and boldly written. Hospitals should have sign language interpreters, and hospitals should be wheelchair friendly.
Speaking further, she also suggested hospitals should enhance communication with deaf women, give priority to deaf people instead of keeping them waiting in the hospital. She also advised that the societal attitude towards deaf women should change, there should be respect of opinion of the deaf people especially on the issue of health.
The event also featured training of alphabets on sign language and there were group works on mental perception where the groups described Deaf, Woman and Man, what you think when you come across any of these.
The group 3, described the deaf are perceived as Hot tempered/angry, anti-social, Hale, limited, Beggars, Dependent, Cursed, intolerant, poor, hungry and so on. Group 1 described a woman as cooperative, religious, expensive, beauty, prostitute, etc, and group 2 describe a man as strong, tall, masculine, Handsome, Smart, Protection, aggressive, crafty, deceiver, cheat, lies, kidnapper etc. These are perceptions, it doesn’t reflect the true picture of every of the persons in these categories, not every man is crafty, not every man is a liar, not every woman is a prostitute, deaf people are not beggars, poor and hungry. This exercise was to showcase to the health workers that perception has affected the communication with the deaf women adversely.
The groups also worked on Total Communication, Group2 looked into improving communication for deaf women in health facilities, here, they suggested providing sign language interpretation in health facilities, inclusion of Sign language in Nigerian educational system from the primary level, enhance implementation of existing disability friendly policies on health, enhance awareness creation about deaf women and sign language. Group 1 looked at Building good relationship between deaf women and health workers, they suggested that deaf women should teach health workers some basics of sign language, deaf women should see health workers as partners not enemies, deaf women should form support/ advocacy group to provide support for other deaf women and the health workers. Group 3, the deaf women taught the health workers in the group how to sign from A-Z alphabets and one of the health workers demonstrated the signs to the admiration of other participants.
The event also witnessed drama presentation on how the glossary should be use in the health facilities, it is simply how the deaf women can explain what is wrong with them through the diagrams in the glossary.
SOME PICTURES OF THE EVENT
