Delhi University initiates sign language training for nurses to help deaf and dumb

Sign languages are considered means to communicate with people devoid of the ability to hear (the deaf) or by those who can hear but are unable to speak (the dumb). A sign language makes use of visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning by simultaneously combining hand shapes, facial expressions, orientation and movement of hands, arms, or body to express the speaker’s thoughts. Each country generally has its own sign language or languages, which might share similarities with another country.

In India, 63 million people suffer from significant auditory loss. Delhi University, as part of a project of Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC), has trained over 2000 police personnel in an attempt to sensitise them about the problems faced by the deaf in communicating with the police. The effort now extends towards training nursing staff in hospitals across Delhi in the use of Indian Sign Language (ISL) to aid communication between the hearing-impaired patients and the staff.

On 26 September, CIC observed “Deaf Day” by holding an interactive workshop “Hear to Heal: Learning to Speak With The Deaf” in which Dr. Satbir Silas Bedi, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare was the chief guest.

Hospital staff being trained to help deaf and dumb

Dr. Hina Nandrajog, Associate Professor at Vivekananda College, along with six students of Delhi University from B.A. Hons. (Humanities & Social Sciences) has been working on the project since August 2014. Dr. Nandrajog has also worked at CIC on deputation.

Training sessions have been conducted for the nursing staff in collaboration with the National Association of Deaf, Noida Deaf Society, Abled&Heard and SPARSH. The sessions have been conducted in Hindu Rao and Kasturba hospitals. AIIMS and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital are the probable venues for the next session. The next phase of the project has been already sketched and will be conducted by a different team.

“Youth has the power to transform the society. Therefore we are getting in touch with college students who can in turn find diverse, innovative ways to create awareness about ISL and the need for its popularisation”, Dr. Hina told DU Beat.