ENT specialists to be given training in cochlear implant

From: Times of India - Oct 2, 2012

KOZHIKODE: Experts from Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College will train the ENT specialists with the ENT department of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital to conduct independent cochlear implant surgeries on the beneficiaries under the 'shruthitharangam' scheme of the Kerala State Social Security Mission.

At present, experts in other hospitals have been entrusted with the task of conducting cochlear implant surgeries on ten beneficiaries of the scheme who have opted Kozhikode medical college hospital to conduct the surgeries.

Executive director of Kerala State Social Security Mission Dr T P Ashraf said that the security mission had decided to entrust two experts from Thiruvanathapuram Government Hospital to train doctors of ENT department, Kozhikode Medical College to conduct cochlear implant surgeries. "The move was taken to ensure that in the long run the experts in the medical college performs surgeries their own," he said.

In the first batch, three regional committees comprising ENT experts of Kozhikode medical college hospital, DMOs of Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram had selected 49 beneficiaries for the scheme after a thorough screening test.

The Social Security Mission is also planning to conduct cochlear implant surgeries at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College in the next phase.

At present the cochlear implant surgeries are being carried out at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital; Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (MIMS); Dr Manoj's ENT Super specialty Institute and Research Centre, Kozhikode; Al Shifa Hospital,Perinthalmanna; Medical Trust Hospital, Ernakulam and Noushad ENT Hospital, Ernakulam.

The social security mission had launched the 'shruthitharangam' scheme last year to provide free surgery to children in the age group of 0-3 years, who are suffering from deafness. Cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person.

@ 2012 Times of India