Zambia Deaf Youth and Women, lament Zambia’s lack of capacity to fight Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID 19

Dr. Frankson Musukwa-LLM
Executive Director
Zambia Deaf Youth and Women (ZDYW)

Press Statement- 4th April, 2020
For Immediate Release
Kitwe- Zambia lags far behind when it comes to accessible information and medical services for the deaf. In coronavirus times, with poor access to information fear this could be deadly to Deaf community should we fail to contain the situation sooner than later. where does this leave us in spirit of our national slogan that call for leaving no one behind?
We are depressed that not enough is being done to ensure deaf people have adequate access to information especially those who are in rural areas, comrades who don’t own a TV set and with massive loadshelding the country is experiencing we are totally excluded.

But most of all right now that an emergency has occurred, with a transmittable virus spreading speedily that requires adequate accessible information on precautions and treatment. Deaf people have not had sufficient access to that information and treatment so far. This is dangerous not only to us but also for the rest of society after all, preventing the spread of the new coronavirus is key.

“Does a deaf person have to die from the coronavirus as a result of inaccessibility and a lack of sufficient information before the government acts on leaving on one behind in effort to curb Coronavirus in the country?

The unprecedented situation the coronavirus has created underlines the plentiful barriers deaf people stumble upon every day. It starts with access to information; government i.e. Ministry of Health and DMMU websites dont have material available in sign language. Written text is often insufficient, as many deaf people find it difficult to read and write in English, since learning a written language involves phonetics. If this is not possible, learning becomes laborious, and the language becomes foreign.

This makes it crucially important for coronavirus information to be also made available in sign language, the 3D mother tongue of many deaf people in Zambia who are at high risk of contracting coronavirus. This measure should also implemented at important Coronavirus press conference, awareness campaign among other possible platform to communicate died coronavirus message.

Our position as organization is that government must work closely with Deaf stakeholders now to develop effective communication which is critical and can save lives during times of this serious life threaten coronavirus. Emergency service providers must address the needs of the whole community, including people with sensory disabilities (deaf, hard of hearing, blind, low vision, deaf-blind, and speech disabilities) as well as people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and people with psychiatric disabilities. Planners must ensure they consult and include persons with disabilities communicate with everyone in ways that are easy to access and understand. Government must also use communication methods that reach everyone in the community include Deaf persons.

Dr. Frankson Musukwa-LLM Executive Director
Zambia Deaf Youth and Women (ZDYW)

Dr. Frankson Musukwa-LLM
Executive Director
Zambia Deaf Youth and Women
Plot No. 831 Government Road
P.O. Box MT 92
Kitwe
Copperbelt Province
Zambia
Southern Africa
Mobile Phone: +260977 866459 (SMS/Whatsapp)
Email: zambiadeafyw@zambia.co.zm
zambiadeafyw@gmail.com

Be the first to like.

Like

Unlike