Pakistan may not be as standardized as in some other countries. Since it is a developing nation, Pakistan faces issues like an economic crisis, political unrest, and natural disasters. It’s important to consider these when looking at the response teams across the country. Continue reading to learn more about the emergency services for deaf people in Pakistan.
Regional Accessibility of Healthcare
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-pushing-a-stretcher-6754163/
Pakistan has a population of over 231 million, 10 million of which are deaf, according to the United Nations. Even though it’s a huge number, deaf Pakistanis still face inequality and discrimination in their country because of the absence of Pakistani Sign Language (PSL).
More Inclusivity is Necessary
To speak the same language makes basic needs like food, shelter, education, and healthcare accessible. Every individual has a right to these needs. The problem is being deaf isn’t socially or culturally accepted in many places. Religious beliefs and superstitions make people believe that being deaf is a curse. It hurts awareness and elevates the difficulties faced by deaf people.
The deaf community in Pakistan has its own culture and sense of identity. Recognizing their characteristic within society can be a means of moving forward. It opens a dialogue to build more inclusivity, where deaf people have access to everything they need, as do hearing people.
Traditional vs. Modern Medical Practices
In Pakistan, the accessibility of healthcare for deaf people varies. In cities, the ambulance in Karachi or Lahore has a faster response time than in remote areas. Medical treatment also varies across the country. There is modern medicine from the West. However, other forms of traditional healers that use the Ayurvedic system are more common in villages. It’s a very outdated practice that still uses Sanskrit to write prescriptions. The reliance on traditional medicine can also cause more medical issues and higher mortality rates in rural areas.
The cultural belief in ancient healers and the lack of modern healthcare facilities in rural areas put deaf people at a disadvantage. In rural Pakistan, late diagnoses of hearing issues are common. The cultural stigma drives parents away from visiting a modern clinic for the appropriate treatment or hearing aid.
Unreliable Emergency Services System
Like most countries, Pakistan also has an emergency service system for medical attention or police. There is a list of numbers for the police, ambulance, women’s hotline, and fires. The effectiveness of it is in question.
Considering Pakistan has a lower-income economy and is a developing country, the reliability of such services can be unreliable. The country struggles with providing necessities to its citizens. An effective emergency system is not a top priority. That directly affects the quality of care in the hospitals or the legal services. Pakistan is grappling with this issue right now.
The International Journal of Surgery Global Health says the healthcare system is weak for everyone, including deaf people and other disabilities. Even in a major city like Karachi, the budget doesn’t allocate to EMS (emergency medical services). Part of the reason is the remnants of postcolonial rule. The healthcare system has slow progress. The cause of weak healthcare in Pakistan is the lack of political reform and education.
Lack of education makes hospital staff inadequately trained to take on medical issues or train in PSL, or the low pay makes medical staff leave for better opportunities. The outdated medical equipment or medicine that could potentially save lives. People aren’t getting the treatment they need, so the results are detrimental. Pakistan also has a high population density. Hospitals experience overcrowding. People are subject to long waiting times or incorrect treatment because of false diagnoses.
The Need for Reform
Pakistan has experienced help from outside and internal organizations to raise awareness and receive assistance and treatment for diseases like AIDS, Hepatitis, and Polio. However, the same initiatives are lacking for the deaf community. It’s baffling because communication is a fundamental part of participating in society.
There isn’t enough awareness for the deaf community, and early detection of hearing loss is key in the race to support the deaf community, according to the World Health Organization. Early detection creates awareness for the deaf community. Working with deaf people helps the government understand their needs and what changes to implement for better accessibility in the emergency services system.
The Reality of the Emergency Service System for the Deaf
Photo by CDC: https://www.pexels.com/photo/federal-medical-station-3993317/
The gap between what should be available for deaf people in an emergency vs. reality is striking. But this is where developed and undeveloped countries differ. In the Western world, there are resources for deaf people to contact emergency services through text messages, video relay, and other technologies.
Pakistan falls short on this because of pre-existing weaknesses, therefore making it harder to integrate advanced technologies for deaf people. The country experiences medicine shortages and a lack of life-saving medical equipment that families often cannot afford. The public and private hospitals are in a battle because the public ones do not have some medicines, but some Pakistanis cannot afford the cost of a more equipped private hospital.
Startups and Associations Paving the Way
For deaf people, money is an added layer of inaccessibility. Some hospitals don’t even have personnel trained in PSL. However, advocacy groups and organizations are taking the initiative to make lasting improvements in how deaf people interact with the emergency services in Pakistan. One of them is the Pakistan Association of the Deaf. Their goal is to create an SMS alert system for deaf people if there is a natural disaster, political danger, or any related emergency.
Another related business doing similar work is Connect Hear, started by Azima Dhanjee and Arhum Ishtiaq. This app is for interpretation and learning PSL, and it has already made an impact by training over 700 users for interpretation in public spaces. The startup also helped inform people during COVID-19 via SMS and YouTube.
While this doesn’t contribute directly to how deaf people can reach emergency services like the 115 and 1122, it has the potential to save many lives through effective communication, especially in unexpected emergencies. This can alter many life-threatening situations people face because of the communication barrier.
Emergency services are a crucial accessibility for deaf communities all over the world. They have the right to stay informed and get assistance when faced with unforeseen circumstances. Learn more about the virtual and remote interpreting services that we offer for deaf people at https://www.unspokenasl.com/
Photo Credit to: Photo by Irfan Arif
