assistALL Mobile App Launched in Garissa to Transform Healthcare Access for the Deaf
News Updated: 27 March 2026 19:40 EAT
Signs Media Kenya Limited, led by Founder and Managing Director Luke Muleka, has officially launched the assistALL mobile application in Garissa County, in an initiative implemented in partnership with the Garissa County Government. This innovative platform provides on-demand sign language interpretation to bridge the long-standing communication gap between healthcare providers and the Deaf community.
To support the rollout, the "Enhancing Digital Access and Community Resilience" program recently completed a three-day intensive digital literacy training. The initiative equipped healthcare providers, Deaf individuals, and interpreters with the tools to navigate digital health services.
According to Mr. Muleka, this intervention is critical to ending the cycle of misdiagnosis and poor treatment adherence caused by language barriers.
“We are doing a digital literacy Programme with the deaf community in Garissa so that they can understand the importance of being digitally literate and can use digital platforms to make their lives better. The healthcare providers have been having problems in administering medical services to the deaf patients because of lack of communication, and this has led to misdiagnosis, lack of adherence to prescriptions, and no-shows for the deaf persons to follow up on medical check-ups. We are trying to cure this by enabling inclusivity in healthcare provision, whereby they are now going to feel part of the system by having free interactions," He stated
“Healthcare is a constitutional right. Article 54 is very clear, you cannot discriminate against anyone based on disability. This is why we are working with county governments to ensure inclusive healthcare services,” He added
Highlighting the importance of the human element in this digital solution, the Managing Director noted the critical role that sign language interpreters play in ensuring effective service delivery for the deaf.
“A sign language interpreter plays a crucial role in the life of a deaf person- aiding in effective communication, service delivery and service acquisition- and when that interface is disjointed, then there is a problem.” He added
During the training, community members highlighted persistent communication challenges and a critical lack of audiology equipment, specifically pointing to the need for a BERA (Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry) machine to assist in hearing assessments.
In a direct response to these concerns, Dr. Aden Hussein, the County Director of Health, informed the public that a BERA machine will be installed at the Garissa Level 5 Hospital within the coming week.
"This training is meant for disability mainstreaming within the health systems so that we are able to integrate disability-friendly service within our healthcare facilities," Dr. Hussein stated.
"We have done a lot in terms of ensuring that our healthcare services are disability-friendly. We have also issued assistive devices and gadgets, and now we are equipping our health workers with sign language."
He further mentioned that that these efforts are essential for equitable care:
"The workers will now be able to conduct better communication when they are having consultations with the patients. This will improve equity and access to a segment of the population that is easily disadvantaged."
Additionally. Hussein noted that this partnership marks a major step forward in integrating disability-friendly measures across the county’s medical infrastructure. These developments emerged during the second day of a specialized training program designed to ensure no patient is left unheard.
The assistALL app, initially developed during the Covid-19 pandemic, allows healthcare workers to instantly connect with certified sign language interpreters at an affordable rate of KES 30 per minute through a per-second billing system. The platform is already operational in several counties, including Nairobi, Busia, Turkana, and Mandera, and is now expanding its vital services to Garissa.
The session, organized by Signs Media Kenya Limited, in collaboration with the British High Commission, KICTANet, and the ICT Authority, brought together health workers and community members to strengthen inclusive healthcare and ensure equitable service delivery for all.
Tags: British High Commission Digital Inclusion Garissa Pwds KICTANet Luke Muleka Matters Disability assistALL ICT Authority Ncpwd Editor's Pick
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