Persons with disabilities decry neglect in fight against COVID-19

The People Living With Disabilities on Tuesday decried the neglect of the deaf community in the sensitisation programme of the fight against COVID-19.

The Chairman of the Delta chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, (JONAS WD), Mr Obruche Omor, said in Asaba that sensitisation campaigns on coronavirus failed to carry along the deaf.

He said this was because sign interpreters were absent at all the sensitisation campaigns on the coronavirus pandemic carried out across the country.

“As far as we are concerned, the deaf community is totally locked out because there are no sign language interpreters in all the sensitisation programme.

“Even in our normal traditional media, that is, the television stations owned by the state, you hardly see them except in a few Federal Government programmes.

“Like here in Delta State, I have not seen or witnessed any.

“Even the State Bureau for Orientation, in all the orientation and enlightenment programmes, they have been carrying out across the state, not one person, who is a sign interpreter is involved in any of their programmes,” Omor said.

According to him, persons with disabilities are the most vulnerable group mostly affected by COVID-19.

“For the visually impaired persons, the only way that they can find their way is by touching and the World Health Organisation (WHO) made us to understand that one of the easiest ways to be infected with the coronavirus is touching infected objects,” he added.

Omor, therefore, called for more enlightenment programmers with sign interpreters and relevant stakeholders in order to help drive the message to persons with disabilities who are more vulnerable to the disease.