The County Government of Uasin Gishu is strengthening efforts to detect hearing loss among children early and link them to timely care as it deepens its partnership with organisations supporting newborn hearing screening services.
This follows a courtesy call by a delegation from the Children’s Speech and Hearing Loss Organisation (CHISHLO) and Listening and Spoken Language, East Africa Region (LSLear), who met the Clinical Services Chief Officer, Ambrose Tarus, to review the progress of the programme and explore opportunities for its expansion.
The delegation, comprising Stephen Kittur, Paul Gardner and Rosie Gardner, commended the county for its continued collaboration in supporting newborn hearing screening and early intervention services at Mama Rachel Ruto Maternity Hospital.
Through the programme, nearly 2,000 babies have so far been screened for hearing difficulties through the hospital’s newborn and immunisation clinics, providing an opportunity for early detection and intervention.
Importance of early identification of hearing loss
Tarus welcomed the delegation and appreciated the partners for their contribution towards improving access to hearing health services for children in the county. He said early identification of hearing loss is critical in ensuring affected children receive timely assessment, intervention and appropriate support to enhance their communication and development.
The partnership has supported the training of healthcare workers, provision of hearing-screening equipment and access to assistive technologies, including hearing aids for children diagnosed with hearing loss.
One of the programme’s notable success stories is that of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy who was identified with significant hearing loss, promptly assessed and linked to a cochlear implant programme.
The child has since travelled abroad to undergo cochlear implantation, allowing him to develop spoken language and improve his communication.
The delegation emphasised the need to complement early screening with timely intervention and increased community awareness to help parents and caregivers identify possible signs of hearing loss and seek professional assessment early.
They also called for stronger collaboration among partners, stakeholders, organisations and well-wishers to mobilise resources for the prevention of avoidable hearing loss and to reduce its long-term impact on children’s education, communication and participation in society.
Uasin Gishu to expand newborn hearing screening services to maternity centres
Uasin Gishu County has pledged to support the expansion of newborn hearing screening services to maternity centres across the county, a move expected to bring the critical service closer to more families and strengthen hearing health within maternal, newborn and child healthcare services.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to hear, communicate and develop to their full potential. Finding hearing loss early is only the first step; what matters is ensuring that every child and family receives the support needed to continue the journey,” said Tarus.
The strengthened partnership is expected to enhance early detection, timely referrals and access to intervention, giving more children with hearing loss a better opportunity to communicate, learn and thrive.
