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Free medical care in UAE to help your children hear

Dubai - The campaign is to help address needs of children with hearing loss under the ministry's initiatives for 'Year of Giving 2017

Children aged between six months and four years who are affected by hearing will be provided free treatment by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, officials announced on Wednesday.
The 'Help Me Hear' initiative was announced at a Press conference held in conjunction with the Emirates Otorhinolaryngology Audiology and Communication Disorders Congress by Dr Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Centres and Clinics and Chairman of the Congress.
The campaign is to help address needs of children with hearing loss under the ministry's initiatives for 'Year of Giving 2017.'
"Today, we are honoured to announce the launch of the ministry's 'Help Me Hear' initiative designed to help children from the age of six months to four years with hearing loss," he said.
Citing statistics from a recently held UAE study that showed that the rate of hearing loss among people in the UAE is up to four per cent, Dr Rand said the ministry will give treatment available free of charge.
"This is part of the Year of Giving as it will return the sense of hearing to a large number of children including expatriates and people from low-income families who cannot afford medical expenses," he said.
The ministry will cover the cost of surgery and implants on a case-to-case basis.
"The campaign will initially be limited to children currently residing in the UAE and will be supported by manufacturers of audio device implants and charities," he added. The initiative will soon be extended beyond the UAE to include needy countries that require similar support.
Results from a UAE-based survey released on Monday showed that Dubai people believe that getting older is the principle cause of hearing loss when it can also be a birth defect.
The World Health Organisation has said that approximately three per cent of people have disabling hearing loss in the region. In the UAE, according to MED-EL's 2016 survey, 'Responsiveness to hearing loss'; it was estimated that four per cent of the UAE's community is affected by hearing loss.
The 'Hear I Am' survey showed that majority (62 per cent) believe that getting older is the principal cause of hearing loss. Estimates from the US and Europe show that if left untreated, hearing loss may cost a person $383,000 (Dh1.4 million per year) on special schooling and other costs. Officials said that figures were comparable to the UAE.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com