Discussing Newborn Hearing Screening with the Health Minister of Ethiopia

The stakeholders of the Hearing Healthcare Alliance in Ethiopia and the Austrian Ambassador in Ethiopia, H. E. Dr. Simone Knapp, on 23 October 2024, had the great honour to discuss with the Minister of Health of Ethiopia, H.E. Dr. Mekdes Daba, the future of Newborn Hearing Screening in the country and its importance for people with hearing loss.

Newborn Hearing Screening Training in Ethiopia

Alongside the launch of Newborn Hearing Screening, the HHA held training sessions for 23 nurses, doctors and midwives who will carry out the programme. The HHA provided practical and theoretical sessions on the PathMedical screening devices, donated by MED-EL and the ADA. The graduates of this course will be the first link in a chain of care that will help babies with hearing impairment on the road from identification to diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.

Hearing Screening Launch in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has taken a significant step towards improving the health and well-being of its youngest citizens with the launch of a universal newborn hearing screening pilot programme. MED-EL and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) have partnered with local clinics and experts to deliver this life changing service.