Anwesha Kolkata urges Government to integrate people-centered ear and hearing care within universal health coverage

Anwesha Kolkata urges Government to integrate people-centered ear and hearing care within universal health coverage

Kolkata: Anwesha Kolkata, a parent led organization working for people with deafness with primary focus on children, has urged the State Government’s Health Care System to integrate people-centered ear and hearing care within universal health coverage.

In the spirit of the WHO’s 2021 campaign, Anwesha Kolkata recently launched ‘World Report on Hearing’ and organized a discussion on ‘Hearing Care for All! Screen Rehabilitate Communicate’.

It has urged the Government to integrate Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS) Systems through adoption of the 1-3-6 UNHS Goals: Screening by 1 month, Identification by 3 months and, Entry into early intervention by 6 months of age.

Anwesha Kolkata organized several activities like: Public Awareness Rally, Webinar for students on Ear and Hearing Care, Online Advocacy Program, Quiz on Ear & Hearing Care, to name a few.

The Organization said that early identification is only the starting point for improved child outcomes. The benefits of neonatal hearing screening will not be realised unless children receive ongoing, affordable services, and support. Every child with hearing loss deserves early identification of their hearing loss, timely early intervention to support spoken or sign language development, according to the choice of their parents, and properly fitted listening devices, when appropriate. Evidence indicates these are key factors for minimizing the impact of hearing loss on a child’s development, educational attainment, and socio-emotional wellbeing.

Anwesha Kolkata, an association of parents of children and persons with hearing impairment, is working for their social inclusion. Anwesha has been actively involved in creating an environment for holistic development of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, with parents as equal partners through its early intervention and pre–school programme, counseling, guidance and  parents training course, speech, language and grooming support to children.

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