Cochlear Implant Scheme

Why is in news? PM hails impact of Cochlear Implant Scheme for children up to 5 years

The Prime Minister of India has hailed the impact of Cochlear Implant Scheme where children up to the age of 5 years are operated free of cost. The cost of operation is 6 lakh rupees.

The cochlear implant is a prosthetic device, a part of which is surgically implanted inside the cochlea.

Cochlear implants have been found to be beneficial for children and adults with severe to profound hearing loss and steeply sloping hearing loss who do not benefit adequately with hearing aids but have an intact auditory nerve.

While a hearing aid provides amplified sound energy to the ear, the cochlear implant directly provides electrical stimulation to the nerve endings in the cochlea.

Cochlear Implant is an electronic device having two parts (External and Internal). Internal part is surgically implanted in the skull (Cochlear) by ENT surgeons.

Post-operative rehabilitation is undertaken by Audiologist and speech language pathologist and special educator of Hearing Impaired.

Parent have very important role in stimulating child to learn speech and language at home and maintain the external part (Processor).

Children with hearing loss as young as 12 months old and within 5 years of age can be eligible for a cochlear implant under ADIP scheme as per the criteria of ADIP Scheme of Govt. of India.

The cochlear implant technology may help children who:

Have severe to profound hearing loss in both ears

No Development Delay or Mental Retardation

Receive little or no benefit from hearing aids

Scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP Scheme):

The ADIP Scheme is in operation since 1981 with the main objective to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances that can promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation by reducing the effects of disabilities and enhance their economic potential

Assistive devices are given to PwDs with an aim to improve their independent functioning and to arrest the extent of disability and occurrence of secondary disability.

The aids and appliances supplied under the Scheme must have due certification. The scheme also envisages conduct of corrective surgeries, wherever required, before providing an assistive device.

Under the Scheme, grants-in-aid are released to various implementing agencies (Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO)/National Institutes/Composite Regional Centres/District Disability Rehabilitation Centres/ State Handicapped Development Corporations/ NGOs, etc.) for purchase and distribution of aids and assistive devices