Global Foundation For Children With Hearing Loss

TO HELP BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS UNDER 5 YEARS OF AGE LIVING IN LOW RESOURCE COUNTRIES ACCESS THE EARLY IDENTIFICATION HEARING TECHNOLOGY AND LOCALLY-BASED PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT THEY NEED TO LEARN TO LISTEN AND TALK. WE DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS WITH IN-COUNTRY PARTNERS TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND EARLY EDUCATION AND RAISE AWARENESS FOR PEDIATRIC HEARING LOSS AND AVAILABLE INTERVENTIONS.

THE GFCHL'S NEPAL PROGRAM IS A NEW COLLABORATION WITH THE HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN EYE ENT AND REHABILITATION SERVICES CHEERS IN NEPAL. THE MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE INTENDS TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THE FULL CONTINUUM OF CARE FROM INFANT SCREENING TO HABILITATION SERVICES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN A LOW RESOURCE COUNTRY WITH CHALLENGING TERRAIN TO HELP BABIES AND VERY YOUNG CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS LEARN TO LISTEN AND TALK. SUCH SERVICES AND EXPERTISE ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED IN NEPAL. THERE IS ALSO LOW AWARENESS FOR THAT POTENTIAL AMONG FAMILIES IN THE COUNTRY. WE PLAN TO UTILIZE BOTH NEPALI PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY EAR HEALTH WORKERS IN THIS COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM. THOSE TRAINED BY THE GFCHL WILL BE INVOLVED WITH TRAINING PEERS AND FAMILIES IN NEPAL TO MAKE THE BENEFITS EXPONENTIAL AND SUSTAINABLE FULFILLING A LONG-STANDING OBJECTIVE OF OUR ORGANIZATION. WE BEGAN OUR WORK IN NEPAL IN AUGUST 2022 WITH TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR NEPALI AUDIOLOGISTS THERAPISTS ENT DOCTORS TEACHERS FEMALE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS OTHER HEALTH PROVIDERS AND FAMILIES IN BIRATNAGAR DHARAN AND KATHMANDU.

THE GFCHL MONGOLIA PROGRAM IS A COLLABORATION WITH THE MONGOLIA NATIONAL CENTER FOR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH AND OTHER PARTNERS IN THE MONGOLIAN MEDICAL COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT A NATIONWIDE NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING PROGRAM INCREASE AWARENESS FOR PEDIATRIC HEARING LOSS AND PROVIDE TRAINING TO MONGOLIAN PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES TO SUPPORT YOUNG CHILDREN IDENTIFIED WITH HEARING LOSS SO THEY CAN LEARN TO LISTEN AND SPEAK. THIS YEAR WE PURCHASED ADDITIONAL SCREENING EQUIPMENT TO CONTINUE EXPANDING NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING TO LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITAL. THIS EQUIPMENT WAS DISSEMINATED BY OUR MONGOLIAN PARTNERS AND TRAINING ON THE EQUIPMENT AND SCREENING PROTOCOLS PROVIDED BY MONGOLIAN DOCTORS PREVIOUSLY TRAINED BY THE GFCHL.

THIS YEAR MONGOLIA BEGAN TO OPEN ITS BORDERS AGAIN AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE GFCHL LEADERSHIP TRAVELED TO THE COUNTRY IN SEPTEMBER 2022 TO RE-ENGAGE WITH PARTNERS VISIT HOSPITALS WHERE NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND FINALIZE TRAINING AND OUTREACH PLANS FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF THE COLLABORATION WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH STARTING IN 2023.