The program “Establishing the Continuum of Care for Infants and Young Children with Hearing Loss in Kathmandu Valley” launched in 2023. It is a collaboration between the GFCHL and the Hospital for Children, Eye, ENT and Rehabilitation Services in Nepal.

This multi-faceted program leverages public health infrastructure to to demonstrate how the full Continuum of Care from early identification to habilitation can be implemented and scaled in a low resource country to help babies and very young children with hearing loss. Such services and expertise are extremely limited in Nepal. 

It provides resources, tools, education, and implementation support. Specifically:

• Hearing screening and audiology equipment and associated training
• Professional development in pediatric audiology and auditory-verbal therapy for Nepali speech and hearing professionals and community ear health workers
• Consultation and technical support for new processes and procedures
• Awareness initiatives for families and the general community
• Hearing aids to young children in need who are supported ongoing by those we train

Infant hearing screening is being administered to infants and very young children at immunization centers throughout the region. A referral process initiates diagnosis, appropriate fitting of hearing aids, and habilitation services based on the GFCHL’s proprietary training programs in pediatric audiology and auditory-verbal therapy.

Outreach campaigns help to reduce stigma, raise awareness about pediatric hearing loss, the urgency to address it, and the interventions available today.

Once well established, we plan to scale this program to other areas of Nepal. Those trained by the GFCHL will be involved with training peers and families to make the benefits exponential and sustainable, fulfilling a long-standing objective of our organization.

OUR IMPACT

Since this program initiated in March, 2023, we have:

• Secured and installed Interacoustics screening and audiology equipment to enable early identification and diagnosis of hearing loss in pediatric patients.
• Trained community health workers to administer infant hearing screening.
• Began teaching the GFCHL’s proprietary, in-country training program in Pediatric Audiology and Auditory Verbal Therapy for a cohort of Nepali professionals and community ear health workers.
• Initiated infant hearing screening of infants at four health posts. Established a referral process for diagnosis and follow up care.
• Supplied Oticon hearing aids to young children under 5 years of age in need.
• Established new support services in pediatric audiology and auditory-verbal therapy for young children fit with hearing aids.
• Conducted seminars for families and caregivers to help their young children with hearing aids learn to listen and speak.
• Led outreach initiatives for health care workers and other medical professionals to increase awareness for pediatric hearing loss and newborn hearing screening.