Mysore/Mysuru: On the occasion of World Hearing Day, 117 hearing aids were distributed to 97 children and elderly people at All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) in the city recently.

AIISH has partnered with Frauscher Sensor Technology India Pvt. Ltd. at Hebbal in city, which sponsored the hearing aids to young children and individuals with hearing impairment. The equipment costing Rs. 29,000 a piece were distributed at Rs. 3,000 each to the beneficiaries.

Inaugurating the programme, Alok Sinha, Country Head – India, Frauscher Group, said: “The children suffering from speech and hearing impairments deserve equal opportunities like any normal children. Hence we took the initiative of sponsoring the equipment. It is the responsibility of all to create a conducive atmosphere for specially-abled children to mingle along with their peers. The manpower should not be restricted for the purpose of gain, but should also be utilised for social service. It is only then, welfare of people is possible. There are several examples of physically disabled people having several achievements to their credit. Likewise, the specially-abled can contribute to the mankind in a better way. The parents hold the responsibility of exploring their capabilities.”

AIISH Director Dr. M. Pushpavathi said: “AIISH team is visiting the hospitals in the district to detect hearing defects among the new born infants. Children found impaired are being given hearing aids, as the speech and hearing ability are interdependent. The hearing impairment among kids should be detected at the early stage.”

Explaining the benefits of hearing aids, Dr. Pushpavathi said “The machine comes in handy in grasping the sound. Children will develop the ability to hear inter-personal communication and also other sounds including those produced in the nature.  However, they won’t develop the ability to speak instantly and the onus of training those children regularly to develop speech ability is on their parents. AIISH provides a suitable guidance in this regard.”

It is a second such programme, as earlier too we had distributed 40 hearing aids sponsored by Bank of Baroda. If several more organisations join hands, the benefits can reach more number of people, she added.

ICICI Bank has donated Rs. 35 lakh worth vehicle in January to travel to rural areas and identify children suffering from hearing impairment.

Geetha, mother of Tanay from Holenarasipur in Hassan district, who was among the beneficiaries said: “Tanay was one-and-a-half-year old, when he lost hearing ability. He was responding only when we spoke loudly. We came to know of his hearing impairment and came to AIISH after learning about the programme organised to distribute hearing aid. We are overwhelmed with joy that he can hear now.”

Dr. N. Devi, Head of the Department (HoD), Audiology and others were present.