Over 500 persons with hearing impairments yesterday received free hearing screening during the Starkey Hearing Foundation’s first phase of its Guyana hearing mission initiative for 2018, at the National Exhibition Centre in Sophia.
According to a media release from the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP), First Lady, Sandra Granger, attended yesterday’s session and expressed deep gratitude for the services provided by the Foundation.
Head of Audiology in Guyana, Dr. Ruth Quaicoe, noted in the press release that a great burden had been lifted off those who could not afford audiological care.
“…The cost depends on how strong the hearing aid is, but right now it’s sixty-five thousand for one hearing aid. So, each person getting two hearing aids, that’s sixty-five by two and then you have to pay for the batteries, that’s one thousand dollars for a pack, so it’s a very big help from Starkey Hearing Foundation for us,” the Head of Audiology was quoted as saying, in the media statement.
She added that the public health sector has been putting preventative measures in places to deal with congenital hearing loss, such as testing babies immediately after birth, educating pregnant women on healthy lifestyle choices and hosting sensitization sessions with work places which operate in loud environments.
According to the statement, Starkey’s International Development Director for the Caribbean, Kirk Richards explained that Phase I of the mission involved identifying individuals who are in need of hearing care services but cannot afford same. This is accomplished through a series of tests and ear cleaning procedures.
