AfricaPress-Tanzania: PEOPLE with visual impairment in Manyara Region have asked the government to give them coronavirus information through a braille system so that they could protect themselves against the deadly virus.
They said they were eager to learn about Covid-19, but they were unable to do so due to lack of resources.
Braille is a system of touch reading and writing for blind persons in which raised dots represent the letters of the alphabet.
Regional Chairman of the Confederation of Disabled Persons in Tanzania (Shivyawata) Joseph Masasi said the blind and those with partial visual impairment should be informed on the deadly disease through a user-friendly system so that they might understand the prevalence of the disease and how to avoid contracting it.
Shivyawata Regional Secretary Moshi Daudi said they were exploring a possibility of raising public awareness so that those living in rural areas they might also be reached.
He said there were a lot of disabled persons who had not been reached and for that reason they were ignorant of the deadly disease that had already affected at least a person in Manyara Region.
He said the confederation was facing a transport challenge to reach those in rural areas especially during the rainy season.
“Many disabled persons in this region are ignorant of the virus, the disease and its effects and how to protect themselves.
They are thus more vulnerable to contracting Covid-19 than other people,” said Mr Daudi.
One of the persons with physical disabilities, Ms Zuhura Mohamed, said they were facing a challenge of protecting themselves against the virus.
She cited one was a place where they could wash their hands and sanitise themselves as many places were not friendly to them.
“You may go to a place and find buckets are put on a stage where we cannot easily reach and wash. Some are walking with four limbs and cannot stand.
How can they access such a service? We need to get more friendly services,” she said.
