17 children to undergo cochlear implant surgery in Kanpur

Patna: Patna DM Thiyagarajan S M on Tuesday met 17 children before they departed for cochlear implant surgeries in Kanpur. The children, aged six and under, were identified as OAE positive during screenings conducted under the Shravan Shruti programme.

The DM said the administration has so far screened 1,18,000 children in the district, identifying 246 cases of hearing impairment. Of these, 89 children were selected for cochlear implants based on medical reports while 59 have already undergone the surgery and are currently receiving speech therapy.


The administration has set a target of facilitating cochlear implant surgeries for 500 children within the next six months. Officials were directed to prioritise the identification and treatment of hearing loss among children below the age of three to ensure timely recovery of speech and hearing abilities.

The DM emphasised that effective implementation of the programme requires coordination among the health department, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Jeevika, social welfare department and education department.

Medical officers, block health managers and Asha workers were instructed to work in close coordination on screening and rehabilitation measures to address hearing loss cases across the district.

Statistics cited during the meeting indicated that between 5 and 8 children per 1,000 are born with hearing impairments in India, underlining the need for strengthening institutional capacity for neonatal screening as well as post-operative therapy and rehabilitation support.