Specialists at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) are marking World Hearing Day (March 3) by celebrating their pioneering charity work over 5,000 miles away in Malawi.
For the last 10 years, surgeons and audiology experts based at the hospital’s Listening for Life Centre, have travelled frequently – in their spare time – to the African country to share their expertise in a continuing bond with the one community-based ear, nose and throat surgeon in the African country.
The BRI centre is part of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation which runs the BRI, St Luke’s Hospital and the district’s community hospital.
Ear, nose and throat surgeon, Professor Chris Raine MBE, a member of WHO, said
Hearing loss is an ‘invisible disability’ which can have a huge impact on those affected especially with socialising, employment and in the case of children their education.
As with most low-income countries, most causes of deafness can be prevented.
We are delighted that we can share our expertise to bring hearing to the adults and children of Malawi and our missions fits succinctly with this year’s World Hearing Day theme which is: “Let’s make ear and hearing care a reality for all.
Chris and his wife, Anne, have previously donated equipment, often supplementing their fundraising with Rotary International grants, to the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH).
Along with surgeons Chris Bem and David Strachan, they have helped to train and establish a country-wide network of non-medical clinical officers to diagnose and treat ENT conditions including repairing perforated ear drums.
In addition to routine ear healthcare, they work closely with two audiologists, Chiko Chabaluka and Mwanaish Phiri, based at QECH, and together, with guidance from colleagues at the Trust’s Yorkshire Auditory Implant Service, have over the last decade established a cochlear implant program for children with profound hearing loss, making a small but important impact in improving hearing as a reality.
Cochlear implant surgery involves drilling into the bony wall of the inner ear and inserting a high-tech device designed to provide a sensation of sound by sending an electric current to the auditory nerve in the brain.
Mr Strachan said:
Cochlear Implantation has totally revolutionised the treatment of severe and profound hearing loss over the past 40 years.
There are now more than one million cochlear implant users worldwide however they are expensive and require specialised support.
With the donation of cochlear implants from one of the main worldwide manufacturers, MedEl, the work in Malawi has shown that specialists working in low economic settings can be trained to successfully implant severe to profoundly deaf patients. However the main stumbling block going forward is the financial issues and whether patients or healthcare systems are able to finance such life-changing interventions.
For more information contact Yorkshire Auditory Implant Service.