Ear Centre Audiology department
The department is extremely well equipped with modern testing and has trained staff.
A wide range of hearing aids are available and can be fitted to match individual patient’s hearing losses. Technical systems are used to ensure the best fitting.
Counselling about tinnitus, imbalance, use and maintenance of hearing aids are offered.
The hospital has sound proofed areas for conducting hearing tests. Specialised tests such as speech audiometry are language dependent and have been developed. Screening of babies hearing soon after birth is being conducted and is available to any parent on request.
Supplies of suitable hearing aid batteries and spare parts are available. Hearing aid moulds are made on site, and repairs are available.
Community provision of hearing aids in Nepal
There are various types and costs of aid and special needs in a country like Nepal. Advances in hearing aid and hearing implant technology are rapid.
Battery costs and maintenance, the climate, the torrential monsoon rains and high humidity, and the agricultural lifestyle of many patients add to the challenges. There is much to do and be developed. We need to identify suitable suppliers, reliable hearing aids, develop chains of supply and repair, work on keeping costs to a minimum and learn how to train technicians and develop small businesses that are transferable to the remoter areas. The team are involved with various organisations internationally in an effort to seek solutions to some of these problems.
There are ethical dilemmas such as:
How to help the profoundly deaf in a LMIC country, where many cases present late, funds are low, and social services such as special education are limited.
Potential interventions depend on age. Some present to the ear service as infants, others as young children and some as adults. Those with early hearing loss may never have developed effective speech (the pre-lingually deaf).
In those who lose hearing after acquiring speech (post-lingually deaf), much depends on the length of time for which they have been without useful hearing and whether their speech and language skills are adequately preserved.
In many of these cases, help could include:
- Expensive hearing implants, including cochlear implants or specialised hearing aids
- Fund raising
- Social assessment and counselling
- Special educational needs such as schools for the hard of hearing, sign language
- Community awareness and advocacy
- Identifying employment opportunities
Suitable quiet testing environments and accurate calibrated equipment can also be challenging to arrange in the community, our outreach and audit teams are actively working to find some low cost, appropriate technological answers.
Please find patient information in Nepali here
Bookings and appointments:
Book an appointment online at INF Nepal Green Pastures Hospital
Please click the button above or use the following URL for online OPD ticket booking:
http://appointment.gphospital.org/
You can use Khalti Mobile App, Mobile Banking, Connect Ips and SCT card payment for online payment.
Contact us for further information.
