Deaf children must study sign language early

Mr Peter Anarfi-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has urged parents of deaf children to introduce them early to sign language study in order not to be left out in the socialisation process.

He said there was the need for parents to draw their children closer and give them the needed education so that they did not become a burden, but useful to themselves and society at large.

Mr Anarfi-Mensah was speaking in Kumasi at the International Week Celebration of the Deaf by the Ashanti Regional Association of the Deaf.

He said the theme: “With Sign Language Right, Our Children Can,” was very relevant and appropriate as there were about 70 million deaf people worldwide who used sign language as their first language or mother tongue.

Mr Anarfi-Mensah said as part of efforts of building an inclusive society, the Government had ensured that persons with disability enjoyed better living conditions just like any other child.

Mr James Sambian, the Executive Director of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf, appealed to the Government to assist the Association to extend the pilot project aimed at making more deaf people access health care at the health facilities.

He said there was the need to get more sign language interpreters in all the regional hospitals to end the problem deaf patients faced when they attended hospital.

He said the project, which was executed last year at the Ridge Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital with support from STAR-GHANA, enabled the Association to train 12 health personnel as sign language interpreters for each of the hospitals.

Dr Wisdom Kwadwo Mprah, a lecturer at the Department of Community Health Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, School of Medical Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, advised people with disability to think of how to help themselves.

Madam Doris Birago Anokye, Ashanti Regional Branch Chairperson of the Association, mentioned inadequate sign interpreters, frustrations from accessing the District Assemblies Common Fund for the disabled and office accommodation among other things as some of the challenges facing the Association.