KARACHI: The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) has performed 27 cochlear implants since December 2013 after selection on the basis of standard international criteria of cochlear implant candidacy, said DUHS officials at a press briefing on Thursday.

Prof Dr M. Umar Farooq, pro-vice chancellor and director of the Cochlear Implant Programme, DUHS, told media at the Dow Medical College that cochlear implantation started on December 2, 2012 with two surgeries, followed by two in July 2013, nine in November 2014 and 14 last month.

He said cochlear implant surgeries were highly expensive in the private sector i.e. one surgery needed $25,000 which could not be afforded by most parents belonging to the lower- and middle-classes.

Considering the gravity of the situation, he added, DUHS decided to launch its Cochlear Implant Programme with the aim to perform such surgeries for needy and suitable candidates belonging to families who could not afford them.

He said that the vice chancellor of the DUHS, Prof Masood Hameed Khan, granted Rs10 million from the university’s fund for the programme with the help of philanthropists and NGOs.

He said the university organised a five-day cochlear implant workshop at its Ojha Campus last month, which was the first of its kind to be held in the public sector. The workshop featured lectures and live demonstrations of implant surgeries.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2015

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