Fifteen children to hear for the first time
What you need to know:
- For children requiring implants in both ears, the cost rises to Sh68 million per child. By comparison, the same procedure in India would cost Sh120 million per ear.
Dar es Salaam. Fifteen children under the age of 5 will be able to hear for the first time following cochlear implant procedures performed at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) earlier in July. This is the first time such a procedure has been conducted at the hospital.
Dr. Aslam Nkya, head of the Ear, Nose, and Throat department at MNH, made this announcement during an event attended by Vice President Phillip Mpango.
The event featured three main activities: the official launch of the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) building, the introduction of a mobile clinic to support outreach programs, and the activation of hearing support devices.
In an interview with The Citizen, Dr. Nkya explained that the cochlear implants for the 15 children cost a total of Sh675 million, with each device priced at Sh45 million.
For children requiring implants in both ears, the cost rises to Sh68 million per child. By comparison, the same procedure in India would cost Sh120 million per ear.
Dr. Nkya noted that, for the first time, these children will experience hearing. It will take between six months and two years to train them in speech, as they have never heard sounds before.
He also mentioned that parents and children, who had spent about three years visiting the ear clinic weekly while waiting for the surgery, will now save both time and money.
The new hearing devices will allow these children to lead normal lives and attend regular schools, unlike before when they were restricted to special education institutions.
This milestone marks the first time MNH’s ENT department has conducted multiple cochlear implant surgeries simultaneously.
The procedure brought together a team of experts, including audiologists, speech and language pathologists, and ENT specialists, who shared their knowledge and skills.
Doreen Mtama, five years old, is looking at her mother while smiling after being able to hear for the first time soon after Vice President Phllip Mpango (third from left) switched on the hearing device. First from right is the head of the ENT department, Dr Aslam Nkya and the MNH Executive Director, Prof Mohammed Janabi witnessing the happy moment at the event. PHOTO | COURTESY
During the event, Vice President Phillip Mpango activated the hearing support devices, and one child, selected to represent the group, was able to hear for the first time.
The Vice President congratulated MNH for their achievement and assured that the Tanzanian government will continue to train more doctors and healthcare workers to enhance the quality of healthcare services in the country.
To address late identification of ear problems, MNH has also initiated newborn ear screenings, having already screened 200 infants.
