1149 cochlear implant surgeries conducted under govt program in last 4 years

New Delhi: The Government has empanelled 172 Hospitals (both government and private) throughout the country for Cochlear Implant Surgeries. In India, the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for Speech and Hearing Disabilities (AYNISHD), Mumbai is the Nodal Agency for Cochlear Implant Surgeries.

Mr Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment revealed that 1149 Cochlear Implant Surgeries have been conducted successfully during the last 4 years (from 2014-15 to 2017-18). He was addressing after inaugurating the ‘Cochlear Implant Awareness Programme’ entitled ‘Swar Swagtam’ organized by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in association with Indian Red Cross Society and Sarvodaya Hospital and Research Centre in Faridabad, Haryana.

The Minister said that under ADIP Scheme of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), there is a provision for Cochlear Implant surgeries of Hearing Impaired children’s up to the age of 5 years at the cost of Rs 6 Lakhs per unit. After successful Cochlear Implant Surgeries, the child is able to hear and speak like normal Children. He opined that such awareness programs are of great importance for creating awareness among the public about the Cochlear Implant Programme under ADIP Scheme of the Department.

Ms Shakuntala Doley Gamlin, Secretary, DEPwD (Divyangjan); Dr Ashok Kumar Sinha, Director NIHH; Dr Prabodh Seth, Joint Secretary, (Divyangjan); Mr D.R. Sareen Managing Director, ALIMCO; Mr D. R. Sharma, General Secretary, Indian Red Cross Society (Haryana State); Dr Rakesh Gupta, Chairman, Sarvodaya Hospital; and Dr Ravi Bhatia, HoD, Centre for ENT & Cochlear Implant, Sarvodaya Hospital also addressed the gathering.

Cochlear Implant is a modern technology to help young children who have severe to profound deafness in both ears. Because of hearing impairment, they are not able to speak. Cochlear Implant provides such children to hear normally in one ear and with post surgical rehabilitation they are able to speak also. Cochlear Implants are costly and were not affordable by all. Keeping in mind “Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas”, the DEPwD, Ministry of SJ&E is providing benefit of modern technology to poor persons also. It is in this direction, the Ministry has introduced Cochlear Implant programme under revised Scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP) for the poor and needy young children.

With the implementation of Cochlear Implant program by the Ministry of SJ&E through Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities (Divyangjan), Mumbai, around 1149 surgeries (916 under ADIP Scheme and 233 under CSR) have been conducted across India. The Applicants have to apply based on advertisement/details on the website of AYJNISHD, Mumbai.

All the children are undergoing post-operative rehabilitation. The Ministry has empanelled 172 hospitals all over India to conduct the cochlear implant surgery. Most important outcome of this program is reduction in the cost of implantation and empowers children with deafness to hear and develop speech.

Sarvodaya Hospital & Research Centre, Faridabad has been part of this scheme and has operated 30 kids from different parts of North India. Dr Ravi Bhatia, Senior Consultant, Sarvodaya Hospital & Research Centre is doing Cochlear Implant for last 2 years.