This was revealed at a meeting of social empowerment and welfare ministry officials recently.

Giving a solution, minister S.B. Dissanayake has ordered the social services department to immediately recruit 50 deaf interpreters and to give them necessary training.

GCE Advanced Level qualified yuths in Samurdhi recipient facilities could be recuirted for these positions, he said.

Officials noted persons with hearing difficulties face severe hardships at both state and private institutions without the services of interpreters.