By Sulayman Waan
Almost all the country’s public institutions are without a sign language interpreter that can help people of hard to hear in the society to effectively communicate with public officials in times of needs.
A complainant, name withheld, told The Voice that the Brikama District Hospital in West Coast Region (WCR) lacks a sign language interpreter and this is making the healthcare officers finding it difficult to communicate to the people with hard t hear that visit the hospital.
The complainant disclosed that the difficulties the healthcare officers encountered whenever any of the heard to hear visit the health facility is challenging. “To be candid it is very challenging for us, the healthcare officers, to communicate with the deaf in order to get them the right medication,” the source said.
However, the source called on Government to deploy sign language interpreters to the health facility and among other health facilities to ease the communication between the health personnel and the deaf.
The source went further that the Kanifing General Hospital also lacks sign language interpreters as well.
However, the source claimed that some medical doctors could understand what the hard of hearing are saying.
In addition to the submission of the complainant, it is obvious that some public offices lack sign language interpreter even the only State Broadcasting Station – Gambia Radio and Television Service has no sign language interpreter that would help the deaf to understand the news broadcast on TV.
Another Government source told this medium that none of the rural administrative regions has a sign language interpreter in regional offices. The hard of hearing always find it difficult to communicate with public servants whenever, they (the deaf) have any message to pass to government institutions.
Nfamara Jawneh, human right activist cum executive director for Beakayang organization told this medium that the hard of hearing people too have the right to access the public services.
He added that for these hard of hearing people to communicate to the public services effectively, there is need for the public institutions to have sign language interpreters.
“Well, inclusion is very important and as such I encourage all to consider the plight of persons with disabilities,” he said.
Meanwhile, government should come with policy that will make sure all the televisions station in the country has sign language interpreters so that they will also enjoy the televisions like the able ones.
