She said, “the deaf and dumb are equally normal human beings, so nurses must pay due attention to them to enjoy the universal health coverage provided by the Ghana Health Service (GHS)”.  

Mad. Twumasi gave the advice when she was speaking at the opening of a three-day training workshop for health workers to “increase their skills and ability to provide quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, including safe clinical abortion cases and information for the hearing/speech-impaired persons ” on Tuesday at Fiapre in Sunyani West District.

It also provided the necessary education and sensitisation for removal of communication barriers between the hearing/speech-impaired persons and health workers, created awareness on deaf and dumb issues and advocated for equal opportunities for them (hearing/speech-impaired persons).

Organised by the Ghana National Association for the Deaf (GNAD) on theme “Reproductive Rights are Deaf Rights”, the workshop was attended by 20 nurses who represented the entire health workers of four selected hospitals, two each in the Sunyani and Tano South Municipalities of Brong-Ahafo.

A selected number of hearing/speech-impaired persons in the Region also participated.

Mad. Twumasi stressed that being vulnerable, the hearing/speech-impaired  had challenges about accessing health services, especially SRH because of their situation and thus needed special attention in that regard.

Hence “Health workers must welcome the hearing/speech-impaired persons and assist them with the required health care services to justify the GHS motto- Your Health-Our Concern,” she emphasised.

Mad. Twumasi observed effective communication challenges between health workers and the hearing/speech- impaired persons sometimes impeded the needed quality health care service delivery by the former to the latter.

She therefore urged health workers trained in sign language to be always available and ready to assist for their other colleagues to serve the hearing/speech-impaired persons well in the health facilities.  

Mr. Emmanuel Kwaku Sackey, the President of GNAD, described the workshop as very significant and timely because it would help to achieve the vision and mission of the GNAD. It would also promote active and productive deaf and dump community with access to education, information and steady economic activities that could enhance and sustain the quality and security of their lives, Mr. Sackey added.