MUTUNGIREHE SAMUEL
As Rwanda joined the world to celebrate the international day of people with disabilities, the cluster of deaf and dumb disability said they still face challenges by fulfilling the efforts to prevent COVID 19 when they put on face masks contrary to their sign language which requires using facial signs, face to face, for effective communication.
During celebrating international day of people with disabilities event, which took place at Kigali capital on the 3rd December 2020, those with deaf and dumb said government should sensibilize more their language to the public institutions authorities and different categories of Rwandans so as to communicate with them effectively.
Mukamazimpaka is a girl with deaf and dumb, commented that it not easy for her to use sign language wearing face mask for it requires her to read the month of whom she is talking to in order to know well what they are talking to.
“Generally, the sign language is a facial language to express the message and feelings of the speaker; it becomes challenge for me to get well your message when the big part of the face is covered with face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The government should put more effort in teaching sign language, at least from primary schools to enable pupils to communicate with the one with deaf and dumb”. Added Mukamazimpaka.
Nziyonsenga Ezechiel, said the traffic police won’t tolerate when deaf and dumb person take off mask to express him for emergency.
“It could be danger to the person with such disability when there is no translator between the policeman and the deaf and dumb for such case”. Noted Nziyonsenga.
Deaf and dumb people noticed when family member taught the sign language it will help the whole society to communicate with the disabled people and reintegrate well in society.
Speaking to the media, Romalis Niyomugabo, the President of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), said the challenge is yet known and as the council will talk to special public institutions through regular advocacy so as to remove such barriers in other to spread the sign language in entire country.
“We just started advocacy as the National Commission for Human Rights ticked, every public institution delivering service like schools, offices and ministries should set the special workers to facilitate in interaction between service provider and deaf and dumb person so as to gain service”. Said Romalis Niyomugabo.
When deaf and dumb person reaches for example at hospitals and need consultation service in privacy with doctor, and yet no one to facilitate the doctor to translate the sign language, the patient is more likely to lose the life or to be treated with different illness. Added Niyomugabo.
The State Minister in Charge of Social Affairs and Social Protection in the Ministry of Local Government, Ignatienne Nyirarukundo, said that the government is going to increase sign language teaching campaign in both public and private institutions so as to meet the right of people with disabilities. She added that the latter are the first on the truck.
