DHA trains customer relations staff in sign language

United Arab Emirates, Dubai, December 18, 2013: In line with the instructions of  His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, to take immediate measures to make institutions disabled-friendly, the DHA recently started a special training in sign language for their Customer Relation Assistants.(CRAs)

This training programme will help Dubai  Health Authority's frontline staff  in understanding the language of people with impaired hearing, who need medical assistance, especially in times of an emergency.

Shaikha Ahmed Al Rahoomi, Director of Customer Relations at the DHA: “A rigorous training program was conducted by certified sign language trainers and 42 CRAs from the DHA were trained in sign-language.  The training program was especially tailor-made to teach a specific sign language module that includes medical terminology so that the  health care needs of differently-abled patients can be understood immediately.”

Al Rahoomi said in the second phase, training will be provided to several doctors, nurses and paramedics so that each department or field of specialty has at least one or two members who are well-versed with sign language.

She said trained hospital personnel will be in a position ask patients about their illness or the symptoms they have been experiencing

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid earlier announced his vision of making the whole of Dubai a disabled-friendly city, Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai is keen on creating the best environment that is supportive to disabled people “because they are an integral part of the fabric of society.”

He directed all government departments, institutions and bodies in Dubai to take the immediate measures that would lead to concrete and tangible steps to support previous and present positive efforts in Dubai and he directed all government bodies to augment  new initiatives in this regard.