Newborn hearing screening launched in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

The CEO of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah has today launched a newborn hearing screening project in the Hospital which he said would be a game changer for many children.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Ampomah reiterated the importance of this initiative and pointed out that it was the application of modern technology to make sure that children are not left behind in the area of medical screening.

As part of the preparatory work for the roll-out of the project, training sessions are currently ongoing for staff of the ENT, Obstetric and Gynaecology and Child Health departments.

Dr Ampomah therefore urged the participants to “make sure that we spread the knowledge, the resources and collaborate because at the end of the day our goal is to make sure that the patients are supported and people get the kind of help they need.”

He said we should get to a point where every single child born in Ghana should have access to comprehensive basic screening services not only in audiology but for cleft palate among others.

He said “when we work together, we can advocate to make sure that resources are not spent in the wrong areas but on the right things which would make an impact on people’s lives.”

Following the commencement of cochlear implant surgeries at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Cochlear Implant Manufacturer MED-EL (Austria) and Allied Partners (Hearing Health Alliance) have approved support for a two-year pilot project TTL screen the hearing of all newborns.

The pilot project, which will be led by the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, is expected to set the pace for newborn hearing screening in Ghana. This pilot project has also been planned to run in multiple health institutions including Ridge Hospital, 37 Military Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) ensures that all newborns delivered in an area or country are screened before they leave the hospital or within the first few months of life.

Currently, Ghana does not have a universal newborn hearing screening programme and health facilities, in both the public and private sector, have on their own attempted to carry out this service but the yield has not been reflective of the number of babies born in the country. Subsequently, continuity for these screening programmes has been faced with challenges such as lack of equipment, inability to track and follow up on clients, etc.

The Hospital's Management and its Audiology Department are happy and ready to work for the successful piloting and subsequent implementation of this life- changing programme.