By Kenneth Alabaraonye,
The Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI) on Tuesday in Abuja launched a new project on improving access to health services for DEAF women and girls in Federal Capital Territory.
The Executive Director, Mrs. Hellen Anurika Beyioku-Alase in her welcome address stated that Deaf women across the country face inequalities when it comes to accessing health information and healthcare services, as health information and services are often not available in an accessible format. As a result, Deaf individuals often have low health literacy and are at greater risk of being misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.
“Communication barrier in the world of accessible healthcare for the deaf is a great concern. It brings about misdiagnosis, mistreatments and poor health care. To understand patients’ complaints, make accurate diagnoses, obtain informed consent and explain treatment regiments, healthcare providers must seek to understand and communicate effectively with their patients” she added.
She further stated that Good communication between healthcare providers and patients is vital to effective and accessible healthcare. This can be challenging when treating patients from unfamiliar cultural backgrounds especially those who are Deaf. Not only are they a linguistic and cultural minority, they are also members of the world’s largest and ill-forgotten minority group: the disability community.
It is in the above reason that Disability Rights Fund (DRF) decided to fund this project to enhance awareness creation for access to health services for Deaf women and girls.
She informed that the project would seek to influence the adoption of local government policies and programs in four Area Councils (Kuje, Gwagwalada, Bwari and AMAC) in FCT in line with CRPD Article 25 (health) and SDG 3 (Good health and well-being) as we work towards achieving the Vision 2030.
While thanking DRF for their support, she used the medium to beckon on International communities, NGOs and organization to show full interest in sign-language, noting that Nothing about us without sign-language. The Deaf need to be carried along in their outreach and development programme to fulfill the UN SDGs Vision 2030 “leave no one behind”.
The DRF, Program Officer in Nigeria, Mr. Theophilus Odaudu in his goodwill message, reaffirmed his organization commitment towards supporting Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and DWAI was fortunate to be among the new grantees because of their wonderful and unique idea of improving access to health services of Deaf women and girl in the FCT.
He went further to commend the effort of DWAI for coming up with a project that he believes that would address the immediate need of Deaf women and girls in accessing health services and also enhance health service delivery of not only Deaf women but women with disabilities at large.
The Dignitaries and Participants at the event made commitments towards contributing to the success of the project. They unanimously agreed that the project is timely because it is coming at a time whereby everybody should be carried along in the healthcare service delivery with the target of addressing the global health challenges.
The Dignitaries were drawn from major stakeholders on health issues and disability in the FCT and they are Dr, Ruqayya Wamakko, Director, PHC, Azeez Bukola Assistant Director (Policy)from Health and Human Services, Ekaete Umoh, JONAPWD, National President, Ike Stella Adaeze(FMOH) Rahama Bungudu, Youth and Advocacy Officer, Marie Stoopes, Dorathy Njamanze a Nollywood actress and social commentator/activist, Comrade Lawal Aiyedun Olabunmi, IPP, NANPAN, and A representative from IPAS including Deaf women.
SOME PICTURES OF THE EVENT
