Many blind Ugandans like Florence are not benefiting from media coverage (photo by Ablechildafrica.org)

The Executive Director of the Legal Action for People with Disabilities, Laura Kamushu has appealed to the media to be more sensitive to the needs of the disabled people in the way it passes on information if the information is to be in any way beneficial to people with disabilities.

She says in a country where 70% of the disabled females are illiterate and where 65% of the disabled males are illiterate, forms of media exchange in Uganda are unfortunately highly negligent of such realities and facts related to the disabled in Uganda.

Kamushu has said in press statement that it is very unfortunate that even important information that the disabled need to get for example civic education on elections never reaches the disabled simply because most media houses never pay attention to their special needs.

She says for instance most Television Stations in Uganda do not have sign language interpreters which cuts out the deaf from getting most of the information that is conveyed through television.

Similarly, no newspaper in Uganda is transcribed in brail form to help the blind which means the blind can never get information conveyed through the news papers.

He says therefore media houses should try and work on improving their sensitivity to the plight and special needs of the disabled people in Uganda.

By Zakaria Tiberindwa, Ultimate Media