Official: 4.8M children examined for hearing loss so far

Cairo - 13 May 2023: The Ministry of Health and Population said hearing screening tests have so far been conducted for 4.799 million children as part of a presidential initiative for the early detection and treatment of hearing loss and impairment for newborns.

The initiative was launched in September 2019. A total of 267,856 children were re-examined a week after the first screening at the same unit, Health and Population Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said.

As many as 30,734 children were sent after the second test to hospitals and referral centers nationwide for either higher evaluation and the start of medical treatment, the installation of hearing aid, or transferring the child for cochlear implant according to his/her condition, the spokesman said.

The number of examination centers increased to cover 3,500 health units across all governorates where audiological examinations can be conducted for babies from the day of birth to day 28 of life, he added.