The need for society to empathize with, and support persons with disabilities, especially those with hearing impairment, rather than address them by their disability to promote inclusive society has been stressed.
This formed part of discussion during a one-day seminar on the “prevention of Hearing Loss in Early childhood” organized by the Kaduna State Association of the Deaf in Collaboration with the State Disability Affairs Board, and Sightsavers in Kaduna.
Speaking during the program, education officer with the Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board Dorathy Augustine Jatau who spoke with the aid of a sign language interpreter condemned in totality the way they are being perceived in the society.
She said, rather than label and address them by their disability, people should support, empathize and understand with them, saying, that would serve as a moral booster to enable them actualize their dreams in life.
According to Dorathy Augustine, it was degrading when people use offensive words on them as means of identification instead of using their real names to address them.
She attributed disability, especially deafness to a number of factors to include high fever, injury or accident among other environmental factors and that, it must not necessarily be hereditary or genetically inclined condition as perceived by many in the society.
“My advice to people that have sympathy on the deaf is to avoid it, what we need is Empathy, put yourself in our shoes then you will know how to relate with us, we don’t need sympathy, we are okay, we are humans with dreams and aspirations, just show us understanding, then we will do well”
“Generally, I think it’s more of an African thing especially here in the north, they prefer to identify or address the disabled person by the disability itself, see me as a human being, people instead of calling us by our names, they prefer to identify and address us by our disability, Like in hausa Kai!! kurma, gurgu among others, something like that, we don’t like it, it’s abusive”, explained Dorathy Augustine.
On her part, programmes officer of Sightsavers on Inclusive Education in Kaduna Justina Kefas Gwari explained that the seminar provided an avenue to create more awareness on how to prevent hearing loss, as well as advocate for sign language in schools to ensure inclusive education for all.
She said the disability inclusion organizations was determined to implement programs that would benefit persons with disabilities in line with its different thematic areas such as the neglected tropical diseases, social inclusion, inclusive eye health and economic empowerment among others.
In a presentation on prevention of hearing loss, a specialist from the National Ear Care Center Kaduna Mr Sabiu Yusuf Salau said it was crucial for a child to be screened from birth to determine their hearing capabilities.
According to Mr. Sabiu, hearing loss could occur before, during and after birth, hence the need for expectant mothers to embrace healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, ensure regular childhood vaccines for the child, and create a quiet home environment, as well as keeping children away from loud noises to prevent hearing loss.
“We have about three types of deafness, so there is conductive hearing loss which can be cured, it affects the conductive mechanism of the ear which is usually outer and the middle ear, but if the problem is in the inner ear, that is in the cocklea, then the problem is not treatable unless you can manage it”, said Mr Sabiu.
The Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Disability Affairs Board Mr. Aliyu Haruna Yakasai commended effort of the organizers of the event, which he said was geared toward enlightening the public including parents of children with deafness on its causes.
Haruna Yakasai pointed out that Kaduna state has passed the State Disability Affairs law which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities including deafness.
“There is no point calling a deaf person ‘dan kurma’ in hausa, you Know his or her name, call them by it and stop labelling and or using offensive words on them, that’s not their name. And that’s share discrimination, and it’s an offense”
“People think deafness is a simple disability but it is not, in times of challenges like disaster, they are easily affected, it’s a terrible situation that the public need to empathize with them”, explained Yakasai.
The one day seminar was attended by traditional and religious leaders, principals of schools, students and other stakeholders among others.
Daniel Karlmax