Zimbabwe’s deaf community denied equal healthcare as hospitals lack sign language services
Peter Moyo
A shocking reality emerged during parliamentary debates: Zimbabwe’s entire public healthcare system currently operates without a single qualified sign language interpreter, leaving deaf patients to navigate medical care without proper communication.
Hon. Master Makope presented disturbing testimony about the consequences: “Last month in Bulawayo, a deaf woman miscarried after medical staff couldn’t understand her complaints of severe pain. This isn’t an isolated case – it’s systemic neglect that violates our constitution.”
The Zimbabwe National Association of the Deaf reports that 90% of deaf patients bring family members to interpret during medical visits, with 68% reporting serious misunderstandings about their treatment. “Imagine being prescribed medication you don’t understand, or consenting to surgery without knowing the risks,” said Hon. Kiven Mutimbanyoka. “This is the daily reality for thousands of Zimbabweans.”
The motion calls for three immediate actions:
1. Mandatory sign language training for all medical personnel in public hospitals by June 2025
2. Deployment of certified interpreters at provincial hospitals within 12 months
3. Amendment of the Health Services Act to include language access standards.
This systemic failure comes despite Zimbabwe’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which mandates equal access to healthcare services. With proper records of deaf patients lacking, the true scale of the problem may be even greater than currently understood.
