Back in action: 10 children to get cochlear implants in three days
The programme came to a halt last year when a UK donor backed out
KARACHI:
Ten children will gain the ability to hear as the Dow University of Heath Sciences (DUHS) plans to conduct cochlear implant surgeries on them in three days, announced the vice-chancellor, Dr Masood Hameed Khan.
Speaking at a press conference organised by the DUHS at its Ojha Campus on Thursday, Dr Khan said these surgeries will be conducted free of charge. The event was held to inform the media that their cochlear implant project is being re-launched after a break of one year.
“The project came to a halt after we conducted four surgeries last year when the UK-based NGO stepped out of the project and we faced funding problems,” he explained. Since it is an expensive treatment, it was difficult for the DUHS to continue offering this surgery, he added.
Therefore, the university started a donation campaign in December last year and collected Rs6 million from 14 donors across the country. The DUHS will chip in Rs10 million and now 10 children will have cochlear implant in the next three days.
“We do not lack philanthropists in the country,” said DUHS pro-vice-chancellor Dr Umar Farooq. The university could not do it alone and they need donors to continue the project, he added.
“The process will now continue with the help of donors and the university’s own funds,” said Dr Khan. “We have already ordered 10 more devices that we will get in the next two weeks.”
How the implant works?
Cochlear implant consists of external and internal parts. The internal parts are placed surgically in the bone behind the ear and in the inner ear. The external part looks like a hearing aid and can be detached at any time. It was better to operate on children under the age of five to ensure better results.
Funds needed
The cost of one device and surgery is extremely high and can cost up to Rs1.6 million, said Dr Farooq. “When I was training in the UK, I thought we cannot do this surgery in Pakistan because it is very expensive,” he said. “Upon my return, I worked on this project and discussed it with the university.”
The children who had cochlear implant last year can now listen and speak and also go to school. Some of them were also present at the event along with their parents.
Around 352 children are registered with the DUHS for the implant as the surgery is conducted on first-come-first-serve basis. “We do give preferences to those children who are between the ages of four and five because they do not have enough time,” Dr Farooq pointed out. “A one-year-old child has four years to have the implant.”
Success stories
The proud father of a girl claimed his daughter is now leading a normal life. “She goes to school now as any other child,” he said.
Musfira, another girl who was operated on last year, is leading a regular life but needs speech therapy. “We take her for speech therapy sessions thrice a week,” said her mother, adding that they are struggling to pay for the cost of these sessions.
But the university may be able to take care of this as well. From December 15 this year, a speech therapist will be visiting the university regularly and the children will get sessions on campus, said Dr Farooq.
They do need radiologists and speech therapists and the university intends to open a speech therapy department at the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre, he added. “We want to offer speech therapy treatment to our patients by qualified people, therefore we will be offering programmes in these subjects,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2014.
Ten children will gain the ability to hear as the Dow University of Heath Sciences (DUHS) plans to conduct cochlear implant surgeries on them in three days, announced the vice-chancellor, Dr Masood Hameed Khan.
Speaking at a press conference organised by the DUHS at its Ojha Campus on Thursday, Dr Khan said these surgeries will be conducted free of charge. The event was held to inform the media that their cochlear implant project is being re-launched after a break of one year.
“The project came to a halt after we conducted four surgeries last year when the UK-based NGO stepped out of the project and we faced funding problems,” he explained. Since it is an expensive treatment, it was difficult for the DUHS to continue offering this surgery, he added.
Therefore, the university started a donation campaign in December last year and collected Rs6 million from 14 donors across the country. The DUHS will chip in Rs10 million and now 10 children will have cochlear implant in the next three days.
“We do not lack philanthropists in the country,” said DUHS pro-vice-chancellor Dr Umar Farooq. The university could not do it alone and they need donors to continue the project, he added.
“The process will now continue with the help of donors and the university’s own funds,” said Dr Khan. “We have already ordered 10 more devices that we will get in the next two weeks.”
How the implant works?
Cochlear implant consists of external and internal parts. The internal parts are placed surgically in the bone behind the ear and in the inner ear. The external part looks like a hearing aid and can be detached at any time. It was better to operate on children under the age of five to ensure better results.
Funds needed
The cost of one device and surgery is extremely high and can cost up to Rs1.6 million, said Dr Farooq. “When I was training in the UK, I thought we cannot do this surgery in Pakistan because it is very expensive,” he said. “Upon my return, I worked on this project and discussed it with the university.”
The children who had cochlear implant last year can now listen and speak and also go to school. Some of them were also present at the event along with their parents.
Around 352 children are registered with the DUHS for the implant as the surgery is conducted on first-come-first-serve basis. “We do give preferences to those children who are between the ages of four and five because they do not have enough time,” Dr Farooq pointed out. “A one-year-old child has four years to have the implant.”
Success stories
The proud father of a girl claimed his daughter is now leading a normal life. “She goes to school now as any other child,” he said.
Musfira, another girl who was operated on last year, is leading a regular life but needs speech therapy. “We take her for speech therapy sessions thrice a week,” said her mother, adding that they are struggling to pay for the cost of these sessions.
But the university may be able to take care of this as well. From December 15 this year, a speech therapist will be visiting the university regularly and the children will get sessions on campus, said Dr Farooq.
They do need radiologists and speech therapists and the university intends to open a speech therapy department at the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre, he added. “We want to offer speech therapy treatment to our patients by qualified people, therefore we will be offering programmes in these subjects,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2014.