Don’t leave us behind in COVID-19 education — Deaf Association

The President of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Mr Mathew Kubachua, has appealed to the government and other stakeholders not to leave out persons with hearing disability in the various Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention campaigns.

He said there had not been the involvement of a sign language interpretor, neither were they materials in sign language for the deaf in the ongoing education campaigns about the virus and “what to do and what not to do to stay safe.”

Mr Kubachua, who made the appeal after receiving some antiseptic liquid and antibiotic soaps from Delta Agro Limited on behalf of the association at a ceremony in Accra, further claimed that the deaf were often the last group of people to receive education of such occurances in the country.

Concerns

Mr Kubachua, who spoke through an interpreter, said the association was scared about the prospect of any of their members contracting the virus due to their lack of adequate information about it.

"For instance, if not for the interpreter with us here, communication between us would not have been possible," he added.

The president, however, said his outfit was ready to support the government in its sensitisation exercise of the virus if only they were contacted and the necessary materials made available to them.

Donation

In all, Delta Agro donated 105 cartons of soap and antiseptic to the association for onward distribution to members.

The Business Development Manager of the company, Mr Fares Gerges, said his outfit considered it prudent as a local manufacturing industry to give back to society and also support the government in the fight against COVID-19.

Mr Kubachua expressed appreciation to their benefactors for the support, saying "to think about the deaf community is a great efforts; you have done what others could not do."