Dear Editor,
It is of great concern how the reporting of the COVID-19 situation by Dr. Frank Anthony is being disseminated here in Guyana on TV. I am not referring to the statistics of persons contracting the virus or even those that succumbed. The way in which this daily report is presented clearly lacks inclusivity for all viewers. Under the APNU+AFC coalition, a serious effort was made to ensure that everyone was able to receive information, especially those with a disability.
I commend the PPP/C administration for the translation of relevant information to Indigenous languages, but nothing is being done for those persons with disabilities. Shouldn’t hearing impaired persons have access to these reports with the use of sign language? The questions displayed on the screen at intervals during Minister Anthony’s report are definitely not helpful to those persons who are sightless but listen to the audio.
I call upon the Ministry of Health to take into consideration that for such important information to be both effective and useful it has to be designed in a way to be received by all. Persons with disabilities are part of your audience.
Sincerely,
Timothy Joseph
