FCTA to include sign-language in nursing curriculum

The Acting Secretary of FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Alhaji Musa Abubakar Abdulraheem, has said they are proposing to include sign-language in the curriculum of the School of Nursing in Gwagwalada. The secretary, who was represented by the Desk Officer for Public Private Partnerships, of the FCT Health Human Services Secretariat, Mrs Bukola Azeez, […]

The Acting Secretary of FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, Alhaji Musa Abubakar Abdulraheem, has said they are proposing to include sign-language in the curriculum of the School of Nursing in Gwagwalada.

The secretary, who was represented by the Desk Officer for Public Private Partnerships, of the FCT Health Human Services Secretariat, Mrs Bukola Azeez, was speaking at the project inception meeting with the Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI) and key stakeholders in the healthcare sector in Abuja yesterday.

“Having trained health workers in the FCT on sign-language through the Project HER, we are being proactive to ensure that there is sustainability.

“One of the ways we are looking at it is through our School of Nursing so that in the curriculum there should be time that nurses are trained on sign-language so that as they graduate, they are already equipped with that skill.

“These are things we are looking forward to do, to ensure that the deaf women have all the care, and none of them is excluded in accessing health care.”

The President of DWAI, Mrs Hellen Beyioku-Alase, said the meeting was to raise awareness about issues that affect deaf women like their reproductive health.

“Our goal here today is to provide documentary outline structure for sexual reproductive health-related sign-language glossary for adaptation.

“The project is aimed at minimizing communication gap between the deaf, especially deaf women and health providers and enable the health providers to be more prepared toward meeting the health needs of deaf women and girls who visit their facilities or institution,” Alase said.

The Country Director Ipas, Ms Hauwa Shekarau, said the glossary when produced will bridge communication gap between the deaf women and the public and more importantly, the health workers.