Around 650 hearing-impaired children from financially weak backgrounds are now leading normal lives, thanks to the cochlear implant programme initiated at the municipal KEM Hospital in December 2007. Kudos to various organisations, doctors, nurses and departments as their support was instrumental in taking the noble initiative forward. Not to mention, Tata Trusts contribution of Rs 30 crore to the programme.
To celebrate the joy of hearing, the KEM administration on Saturday organised the ‘Listen to Life’ event to commemorate the birth anniversary of Ratan Tata. Tata Trusts have been collaborating with KEM since 2014, providing significant benefits to underprivileged patients.
Chaitanya Kumar from Tata Trusts stated that the trust supports children for whom implants are otherwise unaffordable. He emphasised the importance of early implants and focused post-operative care.
Due to the lack of newborn hearing screenings and parents often being in denial about their child’s disability, hearing problems in children often go undiagnosed. In other countries, such screenings are conducted immediately after birth. India witnesses approx 1 lakh births annually with hearing impairments and about 4,000 to 5,000 children can benefit from such interventions. Audiological clinics and post-operative therapy have played a crucial role in addressing speech difficulties after the surgery.
The applications for the cochlear implant programme are processed through various departments and forwarded to the trust. After confirming the payment for a year’s post-therapy expenses, the implant procedure is approved. A recurring deposit account is set up to manage maintenance costs, explained by Dr Hetal Marfatia, ENT department head, KEM Hospital.
Parents of Sia Rathod, a young patient, shared their gratitude. “We were initially disheartened when we discovered our daughter’s disability, but we were advised to consult Dr Marfatia. Her guidance brought smiles back to our faces,” they said. Sia, who is in the second grade and resides in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, recited a butterfly-themed poem during the Tuesday event.
Jinal Bhoir, a six-year-old from Bhiwandi, was diagnosed as hearing-impaired by her mother. After undergoing speech therapy and a cochlear implant at KEM Hospital, Bhoir now speaks fluently. It’s hard to believe Jinal ever faced any hearing issues, said her elated mother.
What is a Cochlear implant?
It is a medical device that restores the sense of hearing in individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. The implant bypasses damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulates the auditory nerve, sending sound signals to the brain.
