Visual sign language units launched at health centres across Bahrain

TDT | Manama           

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Staff Reporter

In a remarkable step seeking to contribute towards the welfare of individuals with hearing disabilities in Bahrain, visual sign language units were launched at primary health centres across the Kingdom. Speaking at the launch event held at Gulf Hotel yesterday, President of the Supreme Council for Health (SCH), Lieutenant-General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, affirmed that Bahrain always seeks to deliver the best health and treatment services for all the members of society, which contributes to enhancing the level of the private sector, especially through broadening complementarity between the public and private sectors.

This, he said, is within the framework of the ongoing efforts to develop a health system that is based on the best international standards to improve the quality of life. The visual sign language units at primary healthcare centres is the first-of-its-kind health service devoted to the deaf and those with hearing difficulties. The centre, which is the fruitful outcome of the joint cooperation between primary health care centres, Zain Bahrain and the Bahrain Deaf Society, aims to meet the needs of the deaf and those with hearing difficulties by promoting effective communication between them and doctors and health personnel.

Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla asserted that the inauguration of the new service embodies the unwavering support of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the constant follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He underlined the importance of cooperation among all public and private institutions, as well as civil society in achieving the kingdom’s goals in all sectors, particularly health.

Zain Bahrain Managing Director, Mohammed Zainalabedin, expressed the company’s pride in cooperating with the Primary Healthcare Centres and the Bahrain Death Society to launch the centre, noting that the move aims to consolidate Zain Bahrain’s pioneering role as innovators in the telecommunication field, by providing all forms to support to the deaf category so as to ease their access to all services. Acting CEO of the Primary Healthcare Centres, Dr Lulwa Rashid Shuwaitar, stressed the importance of fully integrating the deaf and those with hearing difficulties into the Bahraini society, through the provision and use of advanced technology.

She indicated that the new service will meet their needs through direct communication with doctors and health personnel and expressed thanks to Zain Bahrain and the Bahrain Deaf Society for their support in launching this service. Speaking to The Daily Tribune, on the sidelines of the event, Mr Mohammed Zainalabedin, said the initiative is part of corporate social responsibility. “This is part of an inclusion of all members of the community.

The video centres will help people with hearing difficulties to communicate in their language. And there will be an interpreter who will translate to the medical practitioner, which will ensure the successful diagnosis of the medical condition. “Inclusion is a big target for Zain Bahrain. If we are unable to use technology to support the needy, then technology is of no use to us. We have trained our own employees, 45 of them, with sign languages, who are capable of communicating with individuals with hearing disabilities. And we will keep on expanding the team.”