Korede Abdullah
A leading global medical technology company, specializing in hearing implants and devices, MED-EL, has provided more opportunities for people with hearing impairment to have better access to health care, as the health and wellness firm has opened a new Lagos office.
According to the company, this latest development of the new MED-EL office would enable patients in need of cochlear implant a better access the facility.
The available data indicates that hearing loss is a common issue for children across Africa with more than 200,000 children born with hearing loss every year in Africa. Hearing loss can
have many different causes. This includes meningitis, ear infections, and other illnesses.
In a a statement issued at the weekend, the Business Development (Africa) and Regional Manager for MED-EL, Stephanie Unterrieder, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the new office in Lagos, said that the new office was opened to fulfil the needs of the people.
She said, “With good health policies and awareness, the hearing communication barrier will be overcome. The most important goal is to create awareness and secondly, of course, to provide perfect access and also care for patients with hearing implants. Cochlear Implant is still the only medical device worldwide that can restore a human sense, which is the sense of hearing.”
The medical and other health experts present at the occasion unanimously urged the government at all levels to partner with experts in the health sector in creating awareness, providing solutions and support for persons with hearing impairment to improve their quality of life so they could be integrated into society.
A renowned ENT Surgeon from Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Dr Adekunle Adeyemo, also advised the government to take advantage of the services rendered by the giant company through its partnership. He said further, “hearing loss and management have not attracted attention from the government considering the large number of reported cases in Nigeria’’.
