Hearing screening tests for newborns have been launched, according to the The Macau Deaf Association.
So far, 10 newborns are expected to be referred to the association for follow-up care, Lau Suet Man, association director, told the press in a recent event.
Currently, there are about 800 deaf individuals in Macau, ranging from young children to seniors.
For Lau, the demand for sign language interpreters is significant, yet the workforce is insufficient to meet this need.
For example, deaf students often require interpreters in schools, but the lack of available personnel hinders this support.
Lau emphasized the pressing need for information accessibility among the deaf community, noting that not all societal information is available in sign language.
She said visual accessibility is crucial, especially in safety contexts, acknowledging some government departments are addressing these concerns by installing fire alarms in restrooms.
The association has long called for the society to attend to the needs of deaf and hearing-impaired persons and improve some measures such as in the official broadcast of information, to which sign language and subtitles could be added, to enable them to understand. LV
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