CM: Screen kids to find hearing, speech issues 

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday directed officials to take up a massive screening programme to identify the defects such as speech and hearing disabilities among children and arrange surgeries and other treatment procedures for the needy. 

Taking part in a review meeting on ‘cochlear implants and deaf-free Andhra Pradesh’, the Chief Minister said a special programme for cochlear implants should be developed similar to that of YSR Kanti Velugu and surgeries should be conducted by detecting defects at an early stage. 

He asserted that the goal of the government was to help the people with disabilities and support them by offering ideal treatment. The officials explained the preventive measures taken by countries like the US, Britain, Australia in rectifying speech and hearing disorders.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to conduct screening for newborns, infants and schoolchildren. Those who are found to have hearing and speech defects should be given treatment, including surgeries, similar to that of YSR Kanti Velugu, he said. 

The officials discussed a plan for integrating the speech and hearing disabilities screening with the vaccination programme and conducting phonological tests for school students as well to detect hearing loss and treat them appropriately. 

The Chief Minister said that all the government hospitals should be equipped to conduct cochlear implant surgeries and directed the officials to take up awareness campaigns on these procedures. He told the officials to resume eye surgeries under the YSR Kanti Velugu, which were halted due to the Covid pandemic.