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{
"id": 958422,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/958422/?format=api",
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"speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve",
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"speaker": {
"id": 13188,
"legal_name": "Getrude Musuruve Inimah",
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I was not discussing it. It is on my fingertips. Let me just read it. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.41(1) to make a Statement on the Deaf Awareness Month that is marked in the month of September, every year. The United Nations (UN) has also declared 23rd to 29th of September every year as deaf awareness week. The beginning date of the deaf awareness week, that is, 23rd of September has been declared by the UN as the day of sign language. I would like to raise this awareness to my fellow Senators. The purpose of the awareness month is to increase public awareness of deafness to the wider society for the purpose of inclusion. Deaf refers to people who may lack the power of hearing or having residual hearing. Deafness runs on a continuum, that is, mild to profound. Mild hearing loss deaf can benefit from using hearing aids that amplify sound. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there are different levels of hearing loss, that is, mild hearing loss. The quietest sound people with mild hearing loss can hear is between 25 and 40 decibels (dB). We also have moderate hearing loss. On average, someone with moderate hearing loss cannot hear sounds that are less 40 to75 decibels. We also have severe hearing loss which can benefit from environmental noise. Lastly, we have profound hearing loss. The deaf have their own culture. When communicating, they use body movements. They also look at each other face to face, and this forms part of their culture. There are varied causes of deafness, for instance, aging, use of ototoxic drugs, that is, medication that damages hearing and excessive exposure to noise. For instance, masons may end up being deaf. It can also be caused by diabetes, viral and bacterial infections, meningitis and so on. Inclusion of the deaf necessitates breaking the language barrier that exists between the deaf and the wider society. The deaf use sign language as a means of communication. Sign language uses manual signs and symbols to communicate. It also includes body movements. In this awareness month, I encourage my fellow Senators to desire to be part of the awareness activities that will be going on in their counties. Currently, there are many organisations countrywide involved in deaf awareness. For instance, the Kenya National Association for the Deaf (KNAD), the National Council of Persons with Disabilities, Sign Language School, the African Annals of the Deaf, Living Beyond Cancer and Disability (LIBCAD), Signs Television, among very many others."
}