Under the patronage of Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani, the Ministry of Public Health launched “Hearing Screening National Awareness Campaign” in cooperation with Promedz professional medical supplies and services, at the Ministry’s building in the presence Promedz’s director Mr. Hady Bsat, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon Ms. Tanya Chapuisat, the head of the Association of Private Hospitals Sleiman Haroun, physicians, concerned parties and media representatives.
The launching of the national campaign for early detection of hearing impairment for newborns comprises hearing screening provided in six government hospitals for free for one month and at a lower cost after the campaign. It was also agreed with thirteen private hospitals to provide screening at lower costs during the campaign.
Minister Hasbani stated that this campaign came to cover an important health topic for all the Lebanese and fell within the principle adopted by the Ministry, which is based on the fact that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. He went on saying that the Ministry is the only entity to cover cochlear implants. This campaign was launched with a focus on the government hospitals and a large number of private hospitals to contribute in hearing screening in infants for more than one reason: first, the human right to enjoy good health. Second: the importance of hearing at the economic level. In fact, we always talk about economic growth, investment in infrastructure, foreign and local investments…But unfortunately, many forget that the citizen is the key contributor to the economy. They also forget that the healthy citizen increases productivity over a long period of time.
Promedz’s director Mr. Hady Bsat noted the importance of the private-public sector cooperation, knowing that the campaign focuses on providing the Lebanese citizen with a better quality of life and a way to enhance his productivity. “If we could detect hearing impairment or loss and provide the necessary treatment at an earlier stage, the child is Likely to enroll in ordinary schools, without the need of special services or additional costs,” he added.
With the launch of this campaign, Promedz is providing OAE hearing screening machines, Otacoustic Emissions, requiring the placement of a thin, soft-toothed earpiece on the outside of the child’s ear. The headset emits clicks inside the ear. The inner part of the ear, known as the cochlea, then produces a response when the sound is received. The test device can then record and measure the child’s response to sounds.