By: Mayen Etim

KADUNA, North-West Nigeria – The groups, Medical Electronics, (MED-EL), Austria, in collaboration with Hearing Healthcare Alliance, PATH Medical Germany, and some  Nigerian hospitals, kick-started the training of doctors and healthcare givers in Nigeria on the screening techniques for newborn child to check hearing deficiency.

Speaking at the training session in Kaduna on Thursday, May 12, 2023 the Project Manager, Business Development of MED-EL, Sebastian Holler, said “early diagnosis of hearing gives a higher chance for the best results of any intervention dealing with hearing loss, adding that this makes hearing screening a significant success factor.

“The shortage of specialists necessary education and experience is one of the most pressing problems. International human resources and know-how should contribute to the formation of a constantly growing cluster of professionals,” Holler revealed.

Also, the International Sales Manager, Screening and Tracking Specialist of PATH Medical, Peter Bottcher, said the screening is possible in Nigeria as it is cheaper to screen infants for hearing and more expensive to have a community of Deaf people.

“Nigeria can have infants screened at hospitals within cities and even in rural areas,” he said

In her remarks, the Medical Director, National Ear Care Centre, Dr Mustapha Abubakar Yaro, represented by the Head of Clinical Services, Dr. Alfred Nicholas Bemu, commended MED-EL for the partnership; stressing that the investment of the company in  human resources will help in reducing hearing challenge of children.

On sustainability of the hearing screening, the Chief Medical Director of Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, Professor Abdulkadir Musa Tabari, commended the program and urged the pioneer doctors on hearing screening from Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and Jos to commit to the project and escalate it to the remaining part of Nigeria.

The climax of the training was the presentation of equipment for hearing screening to participants drawn from Mohammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Kano; Maitama General Hospital, Abuja; Jos University Teaching Hospital;  and the National Ear Care Center, Kaduna, which is to serve as the final diagnostic centre.

The World Heath Organization, (WHO), estimates that 432 million adults, including 34 million children worldwide suffer from disabling hearing loss and the number is expected to grow fast and reach at least 700 million by 2050. Nearly 60% of hearing loss in children are due to avoidable causes.