Unearthing Support Strategies to Improved Access to Health Services for Learners with Hearing Impairment, Musakanya School in Mpika District, Zambia

This study focused on unearthing existing support strategies to improve access to Health Services for Learners with Hearing Impairments (LwHI) in Mpika district of Zambia. A qualitative methodology driven by Hermeneutics Phenomenology research design was applied. In addition, a purposive sampling technique was used to enlist Ten LwHI to participate in this study. Participants volunteered to voice their lived experiences and clusters of themes emerged thereafter. Emergent from the lived experiences of LwHI was to explore supported strategies in use to improve access to health services for learners with hearing impairment or deaf people that represent their felt worlds while at Musakanya combined school. The findings of the study revealed some strategies in use to improve access to health services for LwHI or deaf people such as sensitization of health workers, involvement of LwHI in decision making, licensed professional interpreters, mandatory sign language training for health workers, use of assistive technology devices, extra time for medical consultation and universal sign language dictionary. Based on the findings of the current study are eight recommendations among which include: inclusive policy, active involvement, communication, mandatory training of sign language to health workers, assistive technology, employ specialist interpreters, separate counter for hearing impaired and improve on health education