BENGALURU: The state government is planning to hold screening camps for the hearing impaired in all districts on ‘World Hearing Day’ which falls on March 3 every year, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said. He said steps are being taken to train healthcare professionals in ear care, first aid and screening of patients.
In children under six years of age who are suffering from serious hearing defects, surgeries like cochlear implant will be performed, if required. The minister explained that arrangements will be made to provide hearing aids through the Department of Empowerment of the Differently Abled and other organisations.
As many as 115 children have been operated upon in 2022 under the Cochlear Implant Scheme (CIM) and 577 identified beneficiaries are at various stages of preparation for cochlear surgery, Sudhakar said.
The minister added that in a span of of five years, 2,00,305 hearing impaired and 35,418 severely hearing impaired have been identified through the National Hearing Loss Control and Prevention Programme (NHLCPP).
Exposure to loud noise, infections in pregnant women, premature birth, consanguineous marriages, insertion of sharp objects in the years are some of the reasons which can cause hearing loss.