The Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association is calling for equal access to information so that visually impaired persons can make informed decisions when it comes to getting vaccinated.
Executive Officer of the Association, Kenneth Suratt, made the call on Monday, World Immunisation Day.
He warned that a lack of accessible information could drive visually impaired individuals to unreliable sources.
“People must be educated properly about vaccination and about the importance of vaccination, because if the professionals don’t give the information properly and in an accessible format, persons who are blind will get their information from an unreliable source.”
Mr. Suratt believes that while there have been improvements within the local health sector to support visually challenged persons, more can be done.
“I think we need to increase the pace, and the pace is, one, how people interact with persons who are blind, access to medication, packaging must have braille or proper colour contrast for the low vision, large print on it, we’re looking at access to information so persons who are blind will get the information in real time, like sighted persons.”
He urged not just the blind community but also the general public to consider getting vaccinated.
“The Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association encourages each and every one to go and be vaccinated. Vaccines save lives, and we at the Blind Welfare encourage all persons, not only blind and visually impaired persons, but all persons in Trinidad and Tobago to be vaccinated. There is sufficient scientific evidence to show that the vaccine works.”
Mr. Suratt said from giving concise directions to visually impaired individuals at healthcare facilities to simply refraining from placing price tags over the braille on medication boxes, everyone can do their part to simplify healthcare for the blind.