Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV and Covid-19 is facing headwinds in the deaf community as the key population is failing to access health services due to communication shortfalls in government departments, municipalities, public entities, the private sector and civil society at large.
The government of Zimbabwe in June 2021, launched the Disability policy which calls for inclusion in all services provided but many departments are not proficient in Sign Language despite Sign Language being one of the 16 officially recognized languages in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
“Communication is key to leaving no one behind, getting to zero new HIV infections, zero stigma and discrimination and zero AIDS deaths by 2030,” Douglas Mpeta, chairman of Sunrise Sign Language Academy (SSLA) told media practioners during an Editors forum hosted by National Aids Council in Chinhoyi last week.
“Some of the challenges the deaf community is facing is information about COVID-19 and HIV not accessible to the Deaf. Many healthcare givers are not proficient in Sign Language.”
“Many Deaf are often frustrated when they seek healthcare services and then the facility cannot facilitate communication. Many Adverts and IEC materials are not in Sign Language,” he continued.
“Terms used by the healthcare workers are not known and understood by the Deaf e.g. Positive, Negative Lockdown. Many couldn’t access their medication due to Lockdown restrictions. Many Lockdown updates weren’t communicated in Sign Language. Social Media fake news on COVID made many Deaf to shy away from coming for COVID testing and vaccination. Correct information not in Sing Language.”
Mpeta said many Deaf on ART defaulted during lockdown due to fake news on social media.
Some had no letters to travel to health facilities.
“Many masks in use aren’t user friendly to the Deaf, since many rely on lip reading and Sign Language. Many Deaf haven’t gone to school so writing down as communication tool was futile,” Mpeta said.
According to WHO, deafness and hearing loss affect over 5,5% of the world’s population.
Around 360 million people in the world have hearing loss. Number expected to increase to 1 in 4 in 2050.
Some of the key interventions being recorded is the sector are being helped along by NAC.
NAC recently partnered with SSLA during lockdown to do COVID-19 adverts on ZBC and also donated 5000 user friendly masks for the Deaf and distributed countrywide by SSLA.
Mpeta urged authorities to train more health workers and essential staff such as teachers, police and social workers on special needs and sign language health signs including management of gender based violence, HIV and COVID-19
