Dubai App for deaf people to communicate

Dubai's Community Development Authority (CDA) has launched Sanad Relay Centre App, a smart application to benefit ‘People With Disabilities’ (PWD). It provides PWDs with a platform where they can get consultation, information and support.

CDA said that the new app, developed on iOS and Android, will provide people with hearing impairment the ability to communicate through video calls and chat in sign language specialists and get their support if facing any challenge.

Khaled Al Kamda, Director General of CDA, said creating supportive environment for PWDs is one of CDA’s strategic objectives.

The application works as follows: If a deaf person went to a doctor and tried to explain the pain, he/she can call the centre using the application.

Then in a matter of seconds a live video with a sign language expert will start, the deaf person will start explaining the his/her case and the expert will interpret it for the doctor and vice versa.

“Our aim is to help people with disabilities cope with the society and achieve a friendly environment for them, this service is not only to be used for deaf people, we can use this application also if we meet a deaf person and it is hard to communicate with him,” said Al Kamda.

An interpreter explained about how Mohammed Hafeth, a person with this disability, faced a difficult situation when his car stopped in the middle of the street and he couldn’t ask for help or call any one to help him. He spent two hours waiting for help until a police patrol passed by and helped him.

The interpreter said that Mohammed is thankful to CDA for launching this application which is going to help solve a lot of problems that people like him face and most people don’t know about.

Al Kamda explained that this service is not available 24 hours yet. It is available in Arabic and CDA is looking to bring experts in English and Urdu languages.

“PWDs can communicate with Sanad relay centre team and get their support either through the chat or the video calls, this will give them the feeling that they will always have the support when they need it and it will make them more confident to go out and engage in social activities,” he added.

Sanad relay centre is one of CDA’s projects launched under 'My Community' initiative, aiming to convert Dubai to a disabled-friendly city by 2020. Its services are open to the entire UAE and region.
 

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