On the first day of June, 60-year-old Jayaram walked into Sri Sai Temple grounds at HBR Layout in Bengaluru, where many people had queued up to get free medical consultation. Thanks to the check-up provided by the mobile speech and hearing bus of the Dr S R Chandrasekhar Institute of Speech and Hearing (Dr SRCISH), he got to know that he had 50 per cent hearing loss. There were many like him who availed of this service and were lucky to get expert medical opinion at their doorsteps.
Set up in February 2015, the mobile speech and hearing bus is holding free camps to identify, guide and counsel people on speech and auditory disorders, and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, speech therapy and schooling for children. Institute chairman Dr M S Venkatesh says, “The idea behind this mobile service was to reach out to the needy who are unable to afford the expensive treatment. We aim at regularly conducting camps at different places and providing assessment and rehabilitation at doorsteps.”
Functioning from 10 am, 43 patients were screened for various problems. Some were lucky to get off with minor problems, while others who needed detailed evaluation, were advised by the doctors to go for check-ups at their institute.
Premakumari, in-charge of the Mobile Clinic—which has traversed most residential areas in Bengaluru and districts, including Kolar, Tumakuru, Mandya, Chikkaballapur and Chikkamagaluru—says, “People usually come with problems of wax collection, hearing loss, speech and pronunciation issues. There is very little awareness among patients about such problems.”
Established in 1977, Dr SRCISH is one of the leading clinical and academic institutes in India and is managed on voluntary donations by the Bengaluru Speech and Hearing Trust.
Prof Rangasayee, Director (Technical) of the Institute, says that the bus is fully equipped with the latest and modern facilities and has been set up at a cost of `70-80 lakh. “Specific equipment inside this bus comprises pure tone audiometer, impedance audiometer, otoscope, otoacoustic emission test, newborn hearing screener and other speech assessment test materials and a few picture books for assessment in children.”
Two speech and hearing professionals (audiologist and speech language pathologist) and four interns are attached to this bus during a session, Rangasayee says. “On a daily basis, 50-60 patients undergo consultation, where the required treatment procedures are explained and provided during the camp. However, it requires another four to five sessions of speech therapy to see any improvement in the patients’ condition.”
The bus also organises screening sessions for children in schools. “Seven-year-old Raghu, who was screened at a school camp, had dysfluencies. He was referred to the institute for detailed fluency assessment.
He was diagnosed with moderate stuttering based on subjective tests. After 15 sessions of intensive fluency shaping therapy, the child’s problem has decreased,” says Premakumari.Camps are also held at public halls, hospitals and student hostels. However, in rural areas, camps are held for three to four days continuously.
Dr Venkatesh says, “During the camps, basic hearing care tips are given and awareness programmes on speech and language stimulation for children at home are organised. Our endeavour is to reach out to more and more people in rural areas.”
On June 11, the bus will visit T Begur in Nelamangala Taluk—about 60 km from Bengaluru.