UK surgeons helping Malawian kids
A delegation of Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT) surgeons from Bradford in England are in the country carrying out cochlear implants, surgeries that use a technology of inserting an internal metal device around the ear and an external device above the head to fix deafness.
According to David Strachan, an ENT surgeon, who is in Malawi for the second time, cochlear implants are a remedy for worse hearing problems that are not rectified by the best hearing aids.
“This operation is very expensive, the device itself costs about K20m and most countries do not have the capacity to conduct them and most people cannot afford them. It is however very important to know that some cases that have caused deafness in these children are very avoidable, things like mumps in children,” he said.
One of the children he operated on during his first visit 18 months ago, Joyce Nyondo, 10, is now back in school after a long absence due to deafness that occurred due to mumps when she was six years old.
Her mother, Cecilia Nyondo says Joyce is now able to utter words and communicate something she was not able to do before the operation.
Apart from Joyce and Richard, who were operated on 18 months ago, two other children are expected to undergo the operation for free this week.
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