The County Government of Nandi on Thursday, December 21, 2023, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Children’s Speech and Hearing Loss Organization (CHISHLO).
CHISHLO is led by the National Programs Coordinator Stephen Kittur.
After the MoU signing, a center dedicated to improving the quality of life for all children affected by hearing and communication disorders through support, education, and advocacy was also commissioned.
Governor Stephen Sang while commissioning the center said “We are working together with local partners in the global community across the health sector to identify and address gaps in the continuum of care for our young children with hearing loss.”
Early detection and intervention of hearing loss and access to hearing aids will help the children to process sounds they were not born hearing to develop listening and spoken language.
The MOU aspires to cultivate a collaborative partnership and operational association aimed at advancing the development of cooperative partnerships in the provision of high-quality healthcare services.
The only county with an audiology center
Nandi is currently the only County after Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, to have set up an audiology center with modern equipment which includes a tympanometry, VAR, otoscopes, the ABR machine, OAE Screeners, and an Audiometer.
The Governor thanked Kittur and his CHISHLO team for their continued partnership and support towards the elimination of hearing impairment in Nandi.
The center has commenced its operation to address the challenges and aims at screening children early and providing timely intervention.
CHISHLO, with its focus on early hearing screening, assessments, and intervention, plays a crucial role in this initiative. The main focus is screening newborns and infants so that they may receive early intervention services to promote their speech and/or language and academic development.
Also present at the event were Deputy Governor Yulita Mitei, CECM for Health and Sanitation Ruth Koech, and Chief Officer Fredrick Kiptum.
