“Full access to health-related information and services is a basic precondition for the enjoyment of our most fundamental rights. Yet, deaf people face barriers, stigmatisation and discrimination when accessing health and health-related information, services and strategies. Accessible information on health needs and health care in the national sign languages is still needed. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the dire predicament of deaf people in accessing life-saving health information and services. It brings the consequence that deaf people are often left behind in equally accessing quality healthcare in their national sign languages. National governments have a responsibility to provide accessible health-related information and services in the national sign language for everyone, including deaf people.” https://vimeo.com/731126222/59f9acba7f

Looking back to late 2019 and early 2020, the time of COVID-19 started, an unprecedented crisis world had never experienced before. What causes COVID-19, and are there any cures. Then we heard about wearing masks in the community, workplace, health sectors, government agencies, and staying home to avoid catching COVID-19. I am one of the frontline essential workers for disabled people, D/deaf with disabilities, elderly people and D/deaf people in the community, especially in the rural community. I am privileged to serve and deliver their needs, such as groceries and prescriptions, and to pay online bills through digital technology. I worked 24/7 days a week by keeping communication open through faxes, texts, messengers, Facebook, emails and media news to D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities and disabled people. My workplace got funding, and they paid us to do the work from home, created food meals for Mens’ Shelter homes, delivered meals on wheels to people in the homes and visited people we supported.

The main problem was wearing masks where many D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities and disabled people are unable to lip read or breathe easily. The solution for me was to write down Deaf on the white mask, a wearable mask with wordings when I go out to pick up groceries via online order, go to do groceries instead of waiting in a long queue where the staff know me regularly. A few teams refused to pull down their mask when speaking to me instead of writing them down, and I told them to write down if that helped them to communicate with me as a deaf frontline worker. Yes, there was a lot of frustration and anger over wearing the masks from the Deaf community then came; the DPA (Disabled Persons Assembly) came too late to discuss with the MOH (Ministry of Health) and the Government around four months later. I sent memos to the MOH about the barriers to all D/deaf people and disabled people at the start of the campaign to wear masks within a month – February. Also, to provide an interpreter for live streaming with the Government staff and MOH teams.

I have learnt from many D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities and disabled people in rural and urban communities. The lack of communication to avoid the barriers such as masks, who can come to do personal showering, picking up the prescriptions, anyone is living isolated in their homes, and the lack of understanding of what COVID-19 is and how dangerous for anyone who prone to weakness their immense and respiratory, not allowed to return to work until traffic light systems – Red means stay at home, Orange allow to work from work or home, restrict the number of people in the building and Green means all clear. There was a disappointing outcome from the Healthcare organisation when staff came to do personal showering and housecleaning, and they were not allowed to do the jobs for them. The lack of PPE gowns and clear shields for the community support workers, essential frontline workers, GPs, nurses and specialist GPs. Their family members could not reach out to many D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities and disabled people because of lockdown rules in New Zealand. They learnt about me as a deaf frontline essential worker and communicated what they wanted to know from their disabled members, even their disabled, elderly members.

What about Deaf mental and addicted people, D/deaf with disabilities elderly people, and disabled people in New Zealand? There are urgent needs for the services such as Deaf Mental Health Service, Deaf Counselling, improve services by more interpreters in the Health sectors, training course about our D/deaf and D/deaf with disabilities for the nurses, GPs and the list goes on.

This year, the MOH (Ministry of Health) is called Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand. Now we have a new ministry in our Government. It is called Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People this year. That is a start for our future, and we need to make it happen by bringing our strong voice (signs) louder to new Ministries in New Zealand.

Our Waikato Hospital is expanding more comprehensive services due to advanced technology equipment and improved technology service than in other areas like Wellington. But what we need them to improve and increase the communication lines open to all D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities through interpreters, video relay service and TeleHealth lines. The main problem is we do not have enough interpreters across New Zealand. The staff, nurses, and GPs must give us more resources in plain English and sign language videos of the health issues so we can understand our health independently. A small number of D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities about their health issues asked me through video chat or texts because they do not have enough resources or limit explained via interpreters and GPs. I am lucky to have my background skill as I was a health care assistant for 9 years in the past. I provide the best information and resources with pictures and videos with captioning I can find for them.

In Waikato, we have a lot of health services, including mental health and addiction services. The problem is the shortage of funding and staff with limited experience in disability sectors since lockdowns in 2020. Many of the team choose not to have vaccines, which are prone to risk to people with disabilities who have a respiratory system and low immune system when the staff visit them or work with them. Now the border opened to other countries, and we hope more vaccinated health staff and specialists will bring their experience and skills here.

“No matter who tries to hold you down (including yourself & mind), know that beautiful things, creations, and transformations are right around the corner. Stay in integrity, put your into your soulful offerings to the world, and no one can stop you!”