No Cochlear Implant took place under ADIP in 10 months

 

 

Since the supply of cochlear implants have stopped since past ten months, several deaf children are waiting to undergo procedure. Mainly the procedures conducted under Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for Purchase/Fitting of Aids /Appliances (ADIP Scheme) are affected. ADIP is run in Government hospitals and poor people avail its benefit. These procedures have come to a standstill in Government hospitals. A cochlear implant is an electronic device. Those who are profoundly deaf or have severe hearing loss can be able to hear with this device.

 

The implant consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin. Under the Central Government's ADIP scheme, this surgery is performed free of charge on children up to 5 years of age. Under the Rashtriya Bal Arogya Abhiyan, this surgery is done free of charge on children up to 2 years of age. The cost of this surgery for one ear in a private hospital is around 7.5 lakh rupees. Central Government started this scheme with the aim of solving this problem of children from poor families. Under that, about 144 cochlear implants have been done in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and 101 cochlear implants in Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). This means nearly 250 children have started hearing in Nagpur due to this surgery. But since last November, this surgery could not be done anywhere in GMCH or IGGMCH due to the stoppage of supply of this device.

 

These devices are supplied to government hospitals in the state through the nodal agency Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities Divyangjan in Mumbai. The agency says the equipment is not available. Therefore, the waiting list of needy patients is increasing. In GMCH alone, there are 20 children who have registered but not received the device, while IGGMCH also has 10 to 12 children on the waiting list. Dr Raj Gajbhiye, Dean, GMCH and Dr Ravi Chavan, Dean, IGGMCH admitted the problem of cochlear implant and they said that at Government level the efforts are on to restart the procedure. The cochlear implant in Vidarbha first began in Orange City Hospital and Research Institute. In Government set-up IGGMCH became the first to start conducting cochlear implants in Vidarbha, then GMCH too started. Now, it is being conducted at Dr Madan Kapre’s Neeti Hospital, KIMS- Kingsway, Nelson Hospital, Maxhealthcare hospital (erstwhile Alexis Hospital), Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital (AVBRH) at Sawangi (Meghe), Wardha.