CAIRO, 11 August 2022: Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population said on Wednesday that a hearing survey has been conducted for 3.444 million children as part of a presidential initiative for early detection and treatment of hearing loss and impairment for newborns nationwide.
Some 198,519 children would be re-examined, a week after the first screening at the same unit, Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar said.
Around 21,235 children were referred after the second test to 30 hospitals and referral centers nationwide for higher evaluation and the start of medical treatment, the installation of a hearing aid, or the transfer of the child for a cochlear implant in accordance to his/her condition, the spokesman added.
Abdel Ghaffar highlighted that the child’s failure to pass the second test in most cases does not mean that he has a hearing disability, but that he needs advanced tests at the referral centers of the initiative. He stressed that early detection of hearing impairment or loss avoids hearing impairment and facilitates treatment opportunities.
He added that nearly 7,585 non-Egyptian newborns residing in Egypt have been examined as well.
The initiative was launched in September 2019 at 3,500 health units and offices across all governorates, to conduct auditory screening tests for children from birth until the age of 28 days.
Thu, Aug. 11, 2022
