The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association, in its community and awareness initiative, targeted training on sign language basics for male and female staff of health facilities under the Eastern Health Cluster.

This was part of the partnership and integration program with the Eastern Health Cluster. The association provided in the training program various awareness and educational patterns that suit the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing and their families, and trained the staff of these facilities on effective communication mechanisms with the deaf and how to provide service to them.

Media spokesperson and Director of Media and Communication at the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association, Saeed Al-Bahis, confirmed that the association provided during the year 2026 training programs in sign language basics, specifically 19 training programs, through the Community Awareness Unit targeting the government and private sectors, with the aim of spreading sign language culture, including what was provided to the staff of the Eastern Health Cluster, given that the health sector is an important health service that requires intensification of training programs to train them on sign language basics. He added that the association continues to provide programs and initiatives, which have reached approximately 74 diverse initiatives in various fields, including those related to spreading sign language culture for both government and private sectors. Recently, the association produced and prepared videos in sign language serving the deaf and hard of hearing, helping them deal in public places, facilitating communication and service delivery with ease, and achieving the goal of contributing to the development of people with disabilities from the deaf and hard of hearing category, supporting their innovations, and giving them space to showcase their abilities.

Al-Bahis explained that the association, within the framework of its awareness programs, works to implement innovative programs through training, rehabilitation, and directing public opinion to care for this category, through cooperation with a number of government and private sectors to serve the deaf and hard of hearing, including training on sign language.

He pointed out that the association continues its success in highlighting a package of programs related to the deaf and hard of hearing and their families, including early intervention, kindergarten programs for the deaf, providing courses for association members, working on establishing community partnerships with various entities, employing the deaf and hard of hearing in associations and government and private institutions, in addition to activating participation in various events that contributed to introducing the community to the deaf.

Al-Bahis mentioned that among the association’s strategic goals is to bring the deaf and hard of hearing to the stage of community integration, stemming from the association’s vision to be a shining beacon for serving people with disabilities, making them active individuals in their society, and working to support their aspirations and achieve their ambitions.