By Kassim Kajosolo
Human Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities in Malawi (WAG) has urged government and health authorities to urgently improve access to sexual and reproductive health services for girls living with disabilities, stressing that communication barriers in health facilities continue to deny many of them the care they deserve.
Speaking during a workshop with different organisations that deals in issues of people with disabilities in Lilongwe on Monday, WAG National Coordinator, Stella Nkhonya said girls with disabilities, particularly those with hearing impairments, often struggle to access accurate health information because most hospitals do not have trained sign language interpreters.
Nkhonya said families and communities must also be part of the solution.
She emphasised that supporting children with disabilities to attend school and learn communication skills, including sign language, is crucial in helping them understand and demand their health rights.
“The government alone cannot solve the problem. Families and communities must work together to ensure children with disabilities can express themselves, seek help when needed and live dignified lives,” she said.
WAG SRHR facilitator and volunteer nurse, Lucretia Kuchande added that many girls with disabilities frequently miss out on essential health information due to communication gaps. She said the absence of sign language interpreters in hospitals creates an environment where girls cannot fully grasp their medical conditions or available services.
“Most girls with hearing impairments rely on interpreters to understand what health workers are saying,” Kuchande said.
She added: “Without interpreters, they leave the hospital confused, uninformed and unable to make decisions about their own health.”
The workshop focused on strengthening access to sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) for girls with disabilities, who continue to face multiple challenges both in their communities and within the health system.
This SRHR workshop was a national level meeting involving OPDs at national level such as Spiral Injuries Association of Malawi, Association of People with Disabilities in Malawi, APAM, MANAD, DIWODE and MUB.
The meeting was conducted with support from HIVOS Malawi.