Newcastle youngster regains her hearing thanks to provincial auditory implant programme
"Specialised medical care such as cochlear implants shouldn't only be the preserve of the rich," said KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane, as two patients regained their hearing through the province's new Auditory Implant Programme.
MEC Nomagugu Simelane commented that a person’s financial situation should never prohibit them from receiving life-changing treatment, such as a cochlear implant, which can help them restore their sense of hearing.
The MEC was speaking at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, where 43-year-old Xolani Sikhosana (from Glenwood) and two and a half-year-old Uminathi Mafisa (from Pinetown and Newcastle) had their cochlear implants switched on, allowing them to hear for the first time in months.
They are among the first 10 individuals to benefit from the KwaZulu-Natal Auditory Implant Programme (KZN-AIP) since its inception in March 2021, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health said in a statement.
The programme was developed in partnership with the KZN Department of Health and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and it makes use of the knowledge of ear, nose, and throat surgeons and audiologists.
It also involves the deaf community and is based on the idea of making people-centered ear and hearing care available to all.
MEC Simelane responded to the latest cochlear implant switch-on procedure, saying, “This is something that other provinces have been doing.
The private sector has been doing it, but we are now beginning to give it to our own patients as the government. We’re quite excited because it implies that people who don’t have money and wouldn’t normally have access to this type of operation will be able to have it.
“That is how it should be. The Department has not been able to properly budget for this service, despite the fact that we have medical specialists who can accomplish it.” She continued: “We’ve been talking to them for almost a year now. And you can see the change between when we first started and now. They’ve been able to teach other specialists, so it’s not just a one-man show.”
Pick up a copy of this week’s edition of the Newcastle Advertiser to read the full story!
The news provided to you in this link has been investigated and compiled by the editorial staff of the Newcastle Advertiser, a sold newspaper distributed in the Newcastle area. Please follow us on Youtube and feel free to like, comment, and subscribe. For more local news, visit our webpage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and request an add on our WhatsApp (082 874 5550).
