By Chris Chikelue
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Anambra State Chapter has visited the Anambra State Ministry of Health on an advocacy call to discuss validation of earlier requests made on offsetting challenges female members are facing when accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Health facilities in the state.
While receiving the guests led by the Women Leader JONAPWD, Mrs. Augusta Nwanokwara, the Head Reproductive Health in the Ministry, Dr. Uju Okoye promised a good working relationship with the group, saying that the requests they had come up with were generally acceptable and that some of them are already implemented by the state government.
She said, “I tried to discuss some of these requests you have tabled wherever there is a health programme. I have also approached UNICEF asking them to give me a list of what is required by your women especially the delivery packs.
“My effort has so far yielded positive results as UNICEF gave us 5012 packs and we drew the attention of the government to the plight of these women which has led to the introduction of free antenatal and child delivery cum free caesarian delivery in our hospitals and PHCs.
“Though we have cases and reports that some health facilities are performing some sharp practices by collecting money for the provision of these necessities provided by the state government; to beat this, we are doing campaigns in radio and printing of fliers to inform the public that there is free antenatal and free child birth in the state.
“With these reports we are getting, we have been able to make some refunds to some affected women who fell victims to these ugly trend.’’
On the issue of employing and training sign language interpreters to make information dissemination and percolation easy to the deaf category of the members especially at the health facilities, Dr. Okoye said that the ministry has been making requests to the Civil Service Commission for such employment.
She added that it is necessary to have sign language interpreters in all the 21 local government areas in the state so that whenever it comes to attending to people who are deaf and dumb it will be easy to communicate and understand them promptly.
“We cannot employ sign language interpreters now but we can make every hearing impaired person to come to health facilities with a family member that can understand and relate well with the outside world.’’
According to the women leader of the group, challenges facing the group included the lack of sign language interpreters which according to her is affecting the ability of the deaf and dumb among them to communicate with doctors, nurses, and other health care providers.
“Lack of adjustable beds which affect women who use wheelchairs and/or crutches and lack of ramps in health facilities.’’
The following were among the association at the visit, the Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI) and the Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN).
- Chikelue is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *
