The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, has successfully performed a cochlear implant for a 12-year-old Indian girl, who suffered from sudden hearing loss for a period of two years due to a severe viral infection that damaged the cochlear nerve.

The move is part of MoHAP's initiatives for the Year of Giving, and aligns with the ministry’s vision to provide the best health services to UAE citizens and residents The cochlear implant operation was performed by the Ear, Nose, and Throat, ENT, team at Al-Baraha hospital, led by Dr. Ahmad Al Emadi, Senior Consultant and Head of the ENT Department. The operation included an implantation of a cochlea, one of the latest technologies in terms of its small size, clarity and sound quality.

Dr. Al Emadi said that total or partial hearing loss of the sensory nervous system in children, who do not benefit from usual hearing aids, leads to significant difficulties later in their lives such as retardation and delay of mental and educational development, in addition to psychological and social problems suffered by the child and his/her family. He mentioned that a cochlear implant is the treatment of choice in such cases, leading to a significant positive change in the patient's life, but many people refrain from such procedures because they are very costly.