Marry us, we are marriage materials, women with hearing problems cry out
BY SAKA BOLAJI
As the world marks this years ‘World Hearing Day’ with the theme: ‘Hearing loss and hidden handicap’ women with hearing impairment in Niger state have cried out to men to come out and marry them because they are marriage materials.
The event put together by the Women Advocate for Gender Solutions and Mentorship WAGS-M in collaboration with the World health Organization ( WHO) was tagged “Changing Mindsets” ” Let’s make ear and hearing care a reality for all” attracted many people with hearing impairment within the state.
Alhaja Salamatu Hammed, who spoke on behalf of other women advised the citizens not neglect the deaf women saying that “we are marriage materials” like any other woman.
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She therefore called on all able body men to feel free to approach any deaf woman for marriage, adding, “we are like all able body woman who gave birth to complete and able people.”
Hajia Hameed equally called on all tiers of government to employ interpreters at all public health institutions in the state to enable people with hearing problems have access to health care.
According to Hajia Salamatu, she was not born as a deaf child, but became one after an operation during delivery which has affected her voice, she can hear but lost her voice as a result of the operation carried out on her to bring out her baby
None of her children has the hearing problem , confirming that those women with hearing impairment can still give birth to normal child.
In his presentation, an expert in audiology, Dr. Sidi Maku, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Ministry of Health and Hospital Services, Niger state, lamented the neglects of persons with hearing problems in the country.
He said the numbers of people are few but neglected, praying that God to grant succour to those with hearing impairment.
According to Dr. Maku “you may not appreciate until you see someone who cannot hear , so that is why we are here to celebrate it. The deaf may not know anything happening around them.”
He warned that hearing impairment can be abuse through music which may results to hearing problems, also slapping children at the ears at tender age can cause the same problem. Using feathers, cotton buds to clean the ears when scratched may lead to it as well through hereditary from someone’s parents.
Going down memory lane the ear experts noted that it is possible you see a deaf parents giving birth to children without hearing problems.
Dr. Maku, who was a former Commissioner for Health in the state revealed that the state has only three active audiologists for its ‘ Ear-Nose-Throat ( ENT) clinic.
He added that all the three are based in the state capital while other big cities within the state are left out.
