Government urged to train and hire more midwives skilled in sign language
Ms Lydiah Wanjiru, a lecturer in midwifery and a sign language interpreter at Murang'a Medical Training College, speaks at the 21st Midwives Annual Scientific Conference at the Reef Hotel in Mombasa. She called for affirmative action in training more midwives in sign language interpretation at the county levels across the country. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ms Wanjiru said most hospitals across the country lack sign language interpreters and this hampers communication especially for mothers in labour.
- She called for affirmative action in training more midwives in sign language interpretation at the county levels across the country.
- She added that deaf mothers across the country faced a lot of challenges especially when they go for pre- and post-natal services.
- In Murang’a County there are only two midwives who are trained sign language interpreters who work round the clock to ensure safe deliveries for the deaf.
The Nursing Council of Kenya, the National Nurses Association of Kenya and the Ministry of Health have been challenged to increase the number of midwives skilled in sign language interpretation in the country.
Speaking to Nation.co.ke at the 21st Midwives Annual Scientific Conference at the Reef Hotel in Mombasa, Ms Lydiah Wanjiru, a lecturer in midwifery at the Murang’a Medical Training College, said it was frustrating for nurses, hospital administrators and the mothers in situations where a life was at stake and there was a communication barrier.
“We have expressed the need to have sign language interpreters among midwives.
"We ask the government to train more midwives in this communications skill to help save lives of mothers and children,” Mrs Wanjiru said.
Ms Wanjiru said most hospitals across the country lack sign language interpreters and this hampers communication especially for mothers in labour.
She called for affirmative action in training more midwives in sign language interpretation at the county levels across the country.
ONLY 99 NURSES TRAINED
She said in 2012, there were only 127 people trained by the Kenya Sign Language Research Project, sponsored by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, and only 99 out of them were nurses.
“There is (a) need to budget for training of sign language interpreters by the county governments and the Ministry of Health. Ninety-nine nurses cannot serve the whole country.
“We need personnel skilled in sign language in all hospitals accessed by the deaf,” she said.
She gave the example of Murang’a County, where there are only two midwives who are trained sign language interpreters who work round the clock to ensure safe deliveries for the deaf.
“There are very few midwives who are sign language interpreters.
"The number of pregnant mothers in the country surpasses that of midwives skilled in sign language,” she added.
Mrs Wanjiru added that deaf mothers across the country faced a lot of challenges especially when they go for pre- and post-natal services.
“We need to think about who will help these mothers. We need to consider them at the time they are pregnant, during delivery and at times of clinic visits and determine who will be there to interpret or help them communicate,” she said.
