There was an outcry by Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) concerning the lack of sign language interpreters in all the COVID-19 campaigns in television stations and broadcasts by President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu of Lagos State.
At the commencement of the briefings by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, INN learnt that Sightsavers approached the Ministry of Health, the coordinating Ministry for Presidential Task Force, proposed and made provision of sign language interpreters all their briefings.
With this gesture from Sightsavers, the report according the Qualitative Magazine is that sign language interpreters have been present in the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefings since Monday and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters management and Social Development has followed suit with sign language interpreters in all their briefings.
There was also a report from Sightsavers that they will also provide sign language interpreters for the Lagos state governor’s briefings on COVID-19 in the coming days.
The widespread outcry of the unavailability of sign language interpreters for the Deaf started after President Mohammadu Buhari made a presentation in a televised broadcast on Monday at about 7pm without the provision of a sign language interpreter for the deaf.
INN had earlier reported that there was a lament made by the Deaf and sign language interpreters concerning the unavailability of sign language interpreters during the televised broadcast made by President Buhari on Monday. Read the news below
https://inclusivenews.com.ng/2020/03/31/deaf-community-sign-language-interpreters-lament-exclusion-blame-minister-of-information-and-special-assistant-on-disability-matters-for-marginalization/