Prevention of Hearing Impairment Programme

Justification

1. Absence of Programmes for Ear and Hearing Health Promotion
2. Absence of Programmes for Prevention of Hearing Impairment
3. Absence of Programmes for Early Detection of Hearing Impairment or Deafness

Goal

To reduce the burden of Hearing Impairment, especially in children, in Beni State through activities of Primary, Secondary and
Tertiary prevention.

Objectives and Time Schedule

YEAR ONE (2005/2006)

1. Problem Identification
2. Setting up of Ear and Hearing care clinic
3. Establishment of Audiology Service
4. Community promotion of the concept of Ear and Hearing Health
5. Commencement of activities for the detection of Hearing Impairment in the local community
6. Programme staff training
7. Training of local health and other professionals
8. Inclusion of Ear and Hearing care into already established Public Health Programmes
9. Commencement of Secondary and Tertiary Prevention activities

YEAR TWO (2007)

1. To establish Ear and Hearing care clinics outside Trinidad
2. To expand Audiology provision to peripheral and rural health visits

YEAR THREE (2008)

1. Population based study to determine the Prevalence of Hearing Impairment

YEAR FOUR (2009)

1. To purpose build a Clinic for the Programme

Institutions Involved

Responsible for the Programme: FUNDACIÓN TOTAÍ (TOTAI HEALTH CENTRE)

COORDINATOR: Dr. Diego Santana-Hernández

Main Collaborator: CBM-CHRISTOFFEL BLINDENMISSION

Representative for Latin-America: Mr. Martin Ruppenthal (Quito, Ecuador)
CBM’s Advisor to the Programme: Dr. Piet van Hasselt (Nijmegen, Holanda)

Trinidad Hospitals: Materno-Infantil, Pte. Germán Busch, Obrero Nº 8 and COSSMIL

Institutions / Professional Collaborators

HOUSE OF HEARING, Edinburgh, Scotland. (Provision of vital equipment for hearing screening and diagnosis)
LILIANE FONDS (Financing of Hearing Instruments and expendables)
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS, Beni Branch (Promotion, Prevention and Referral)
FOUNDATION AND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF IDEPPSO-BENI (Secondary and Tertiary Prevention)
ASORBENI (Association of Deaf in Beni) (Primary Prevention and Early Detection)
ARCA MARANATA (Centre for deaf people). Riberalta-Beni (Raising awareness and early detection and education)
COSSMIL hospital, Trinidad, Beni (operating theatres for surgeries)

Expected Results

ECONOMICAL EFFECTS

Reduction of Public Expenditure in Paliative Medicine
Reduction of Community Expenditure in Health care and Specialist referrals to 3rd Level Centres
Reduction of Private Expenditure in Community Centres and Institution for Disabled people
Government saving on Public Health Programmes Investment
Increase of Investment requirements for Public and Private Special Schools and Rehabilitation Centres

SOCIAL EFFECTS

Reduction on Maternal Morbidity and Mortality during pregnancy
Reduction on Maternal Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality
Reduction on Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality
Reduction on Incidence of Infant Disability
Reduction on Incidence of Impediment and/or Multiple Impediment
Increase on proportion of Integration and Inclusion of the Hearing Impaired child, youth and adult