Health News of Thursday, 15 November 2012

Source: Kwabena Owusu-Ampratwum-Luv Fm

Ninety percent of deaf and dumb children could regain hearing

Doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital say many children with hearing and speech impairment could regain these abilities with proper care.

Dr. Joseph Opoku Boateng, the Head of the Dental Ear, Eye Nose and Throat Directorate, said that up to 90 per cent of such children have partial conditions which can be improved with hearing aids, adding that methodical screening can identify those who would respond to help or treatment.

Komfo Anokye Hospital is partnering with the Starkey Hearing Foundation of the United States to screen over 900 deaf and dumb children.

The beneficiaries, mostly from deaf schools in the Ashanti Region, will also receive free maintenance on their hearing aid kits for three years.

Dr. Boabeng tells Luv News the team hopes that the exercise will bring relief to many of the children.

He says a technical team will be trained in Ghana to service the hearing aids that will be supplied to the children.