C-Care IHK Hospital, Kampala Audiology and Speech Centre Restore Hearing Ability Through Cochlear Surgeries

On Saturday, C-Care IHK Hospital in Namuwongo, in partnership with Kampala Audiology and Speech Centre (KASC) an Medel conducted two surgeries, to commemorate World Hearing Day, bringing joy to the beneficiary children and their parents. This year’s surgeries were in commemoration of World Hearing Day.

Two Ugandans who had hearing defects in the past can now hear ably, following successful cochlear surgery procedures performed by surgeons at C-Care IHK, the first private hospital to carry out cochlear implant surgeries in Uganda.

On Saturday, C-Care IHK Hospital in Namuwongo, in partnership with Kampala Audiology and Speech Centre (KASC) an Medel conducted two surgeries, to commemorate World Hearing Day, bringing joy to the beneficiary children and their parents.  This year’s surgeries were in commemoration of World Hearing Day.

Cochlear implant surgery, is the process through which an electronic device is planted in the part of the ear that improves or creates one’s ability to hear and react to sounds around them. This is an advancement in medical technology for individuals with severe to profound hearing loss as the last option of treatment for children and adults who fail to respond to hearing aid options and other solutions. The first such surgery in Uganda was performed at C-Care IHK in 2021.

According to audiology experts at Kampala Audiology and Speech Centre, early cochlear implantation is linked with a trajectory towards normal language development, achievement of educational goals and social participation. This maximises opportunities for these children to access the normal development pathway of their age-equivalent hearing peers. To this purpose, since 2017, this will be the 9th round of surgeries under the Kampala Audiology and Speech Center and CCARE hospital partnership.  Making these surgeries available in Uganda has altered the management of deaf persons in Uganda.

Commenting on the successful surgeries, at C-Care IHK, Dr. Miriam Mutero, the General Manager, C-Care IHK described the surgery as a door to future opportunities for Ugandans to easily and ably access health services locally, that were in the past only got abroad, and at a much higher cost.

Dr. Mutero said, “As the first private hospital in Uganda to perform cochlear implant surgeries, we are both elated and humbled to have reached the 22 Cochlear surgeries’ milestone but most importantly for changing the lives of children who had lost hope of ever seeing again.” C-Care she added, prides in transforming lives through high quality and specialised healthcare and surgeries like these, are testimony to this. C-Care, is the largest private healthcare network in Uganda dedicated to offering quality and accessible healthcare to Ugandans of all divides.

“Every day comes with a different healthcare challenge and the onus is on us as healthcare providers to keep upgrading through technology, innovation and expert training to ably provide the solutions on home ground.”

Dr. Louis Okema, the head of the audiology department at Gulu University and a visiting specialist at C-Care IHK who led the surgery team, was excited about the successful surgeries and lauded the team of specialists and nurses who made the procedures successful. “I deeply extend my appreciation to Kampala Audiology and Speech Centre for partnering with us in our quest to improve the health of more Ugandans through life-changing health procedures such as these,” Dr. Awubwa said.

Kunobwa Fiona, Managing Director, Kampala Audiology and Speech Centre noted that her team was grateful to C-Care for the fruitful partnership that has seen them be part of historic surgeries and pledged her continued support to C-care IHK Hospital in an effort to see more Ugandans live healthy lives.

She remarked, “Today, we celebrate a memorable moment of our contribution towards making the lives of people with hearing disabilities better, thanks to the concerted efforts of both C-Care and Kampala Audiology Speech Centre. I commend the relentless efforts put in by both teams since our first implant, here in 2017 to date.”

Ms Josephine Likichom, an audiologist at Kampala Audiology and Speech Centre, says the surgeries cost between $13,000 (Shs 50.8 million) and $16,000 (Shs 62.5 million) the prices could double if done abroad.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 80% of the world’s approximately 120 million people with hearing impairment live in developing countries like Uganda, and cochlear implant is the only therapeutic intervention for those with severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss.

Hearing impairment is one of the commonest disabilities prevalent in Uganda, hindering some of those affected from living productive lives. According to Uganda Bureau of statistics, as of 2023, there were 1.2 million Uganda with hearing disabilities, or totally deaf.