Sharpened senses: Bahria Town Hospital offers free cochlear operations

LAHORE:

The Cochlear Implants project, aimed at treating children who cannot hear or speak, has entered its third phase at the Bahria Town Hospital. As many as 70 children have been operated on so far under the project, and 50 more operations are to take place, Dr Iqbal Javed Khan, an implant surgeon at Baharia Town Hospital, said on Saturday.

Dr Khan told the media that those born without the ability to speak or hear could be treated through the procedure. He said children born with the medical problem had a better chance of recovery if they were operated on before reaching two years of age. He said they recommended this procedure until the age of five. “This is the only facility in the country offering free operations for deserving patients. One operation costs between Rs1.8 million and Rs2 million,” he said. Eight to 10 operations will be performed every day from May 24 to May 30, said Khan who has travelled from England to perform the operations.

Parents of the children who had been treated were also present at the hospital. “My three-year-old son could not speak or hear. We read a newspaper advertisement about Bahria Town Hospital and brought our son here. He is perfectly fine now,” said Mehwish Tariq.

Asma Bilal from Sialkot said her four-year-old son could not speak or hear either. She said they were unable to have him treated due to a lack of financial resources. She said he was treated for free at the Bahria Town Hospital.

Umber Riaz Malik, Malik Riaz’s daughter, was also present at the briefing. She visited the families of patients being treated at the hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2014.