2.8M newborns examined for hearing impairment within Egypt's presidential initiative

CAIRO - 9 April 2022: The Ministry of Health and Population on Friday announced that a hearing survey has been conducted for 2,854,764 newborns, as part of a presidential initiative for early detection and treatment of hearing loss and impairment for newborns, which was launched in September 2019.

Some 167,970 children would be re-examined, a week after the first screening at the same unit, Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said.

Around 16,758 children were referred after the second test to 30 hospitals and referral centers nationwide for higher evaluation and the start of medical treatment or the installation of a hearing aid or the transfer of the child for cochlear implant in accordance to his/her condition, the spokesman added.

The number of examination centers were increased to cover 3,500 health units across all governorates to conduct audiological examinations for children from the day of birth to the age of 25 days, he added.