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Minister of Social Care, Steve Blackett, receiving the the HIV 101 Educational Module from??Senator Kerryann Ifill.
(A. Miller/BGIS)

Persons who are blind or visually impaired can now benefit from information in the HIV 101 Educational Module, through the efforts of Senator Kerryann Ifill.

Senator Ifill, who is the Information Technology Specialist for the Blind and Visually Impaired at the National Disabilities Unit (NDU), has translated the module into braille.

During a brief ceremony at the NDU today, the Senator handed over 10 copies of the manual to Minister of Social Care, Steve Blackett.

"It is through the lack of information that many of our people fall prey to many of society’s ills. Someone once said that information is power and, therefore, today is another example of empowerment that we are putting in the hands of persons with disabilities," Senator Ifill stressed.

Minister Blackett lauded Senator Ifill for her effort, and affirmed: "The translation of this document into braille is an important milestone in the history of the Ministry’s HIV programmes as the Ministry seeks to integrate persons with disabilities into all aspects of its work."??

He acknowledged that many persons with disabilities had been socially excluded from a number of important issues but stated that it was his Ministry’s goal "to ensure that HIV information reached persons of all disability types."

The HIV 101 Educational Module was developed to disseminate standardised information about HIV to all sectors of the public service. It addresses issues such as transmission or non-transmission; impact of HIV locally, and regionally; prevention; strategies; care; treatment and support.

Minister Blackett gave the assurance that the braille-translated document would be updated as information changed, in order to "keep persons with disabilities abreast of the trends".

sharifa.medford@barbados.gov.bb

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