By Chris Agbo,
Deaf Women Aloud Initiative on Thursday, 9th September. 2020 held her final validation of the SRH Sign Language Glossary.
The Executive Director, DWAI, Mrs. Hellen Anurika Beyioku-Alase in her opening remark, appreciated all those who participated in the development of the glossary, she recognized their sacrifices towards ensuring that the glossary become a reality. She acknowledges the important of concluding work on the glossary and have in our hospitals because deaf women cannot wait to have the glossary in all the hospitals across the FCT to bridge the gap of communication that exist between the health workers and deaf women. She pleaded for the patience on the part of all the stakeholders involved in the validation and also seek for the adoption of the glossary at the end of the validation.
The representative of Oxfam Voice, Sebastian Shikel in his speech expressed how important the project is for the Voice as an organization because reducing the communication gap between the health workers and deaf women is one that will enhance the health of deaf women and their family. He added that Voice believes in the principles of nothing about us without us, and they are also interested in the inclusiveness of the rightholders in all sphere of life. He said that they are proud of DWAI and what DWAI is doing is likened to what Inclusive Friends Association did for the elections developing a sign language manual, there is no doubt that the sign language glossary would be impactful.
The participants went through the whole document of the glossary page by page, debated and made corrections ranging from the typographical errors, pictures and terminologies.
After going through all the pages of the glossary, the representative of all the stakeholders who played part in the development of the glossary and all those who supported the process including those who will be engaging deaf women using the glossary in the hospitals took turn to endorse and adopt the glossary for onward publication when all the corrections have been effected.
The major stakeholders that adopted the sign language glossary at the event were: FCT-PHCB, IPAS, FCT Health Care Human Services, Marie Stopes Nigeria, Minister of Health, Deaf Women Association of Nigeria, Abuja Association of Deaf, JONAPWD FCT and a representative of the health workers.
During the adoption, the representative of the Ministry of Health demanded that their proper endorsement and adoption will take when the document have been cleaned up and printed, atleast a copy would be send to them for adoption and then they will recommend the use of the document across all hospitals. He said that it is the proper procedure for adoption by Federal Government.
The JONAPWD FCT Chairman, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Ujah, in his speech while adopting the glossary pleaded to DWAI Team to ensure that all the corrections made are reflected in the final document. He went on and urge the health workers to make use of the glossary when it is finally produced.
The participants at the validation were health workers from different health facilities, Dr. Ruguyya Wamaiko, FCT-PHCB (Director, PHC), Azeez Bukola, AD, Policy, Health Care Human Services, Public Health FCT, Theresa Labara Jaku from IPAS, Ike Stella Adaeze, Minister of Health, JONAPWD FCT, Deaf Women Association of Nigeria, Abuja Association of Deaf and the media (The Qualitative Magazine TQM team).
You would recall that SRH Sign Language is a project funded by VOICE aimed at improving access to sexual and reproductive health rights of Deaf women in Nigeria. SRH Sign Language glossary contains simple SRH terms in two languages (English and Sign Language) and can be used as a reference guide designed to minimize the communication gap between healthcare providers and the Deaf community especially Deaf women who visit the hospitals.
TQM learnt that the SRH Sign Language glossary has passed its final stage, the next stage is launching of the printed copies and engaging deaf women to familiarize them with the glossary.
