Karnataka to implement revamped Shravana Sanjeevini to deal with hearing impairment in children

Bengaluru: The health department will implement a revamped Shravana Sanjeevini, the programme for the early detection of hearing issues and cochlear implantation, in the state.

A government order in this regard was issued on June 12.

The programme was designed to detect hearing problems in children early, conduct cochlear implants and manage, repair, and replace them, if needed, at an estimated programme cost of Rs 12 crore.

To revamp the programme, the government has now notified several changes, including free repairs and replacements within a fixed period and age restrictions for the implantation procedure.

Children aged below two years will not undergo the cochlear implant surgery, unless in rare cases where an expert committee recommends it for a child. Within the 4-6 year warranty period, any battery, springs, and spare parts changes and maintenance will be conducted for beneficiaries by the department's empanelled hospitals.

The department will also cover 50 per cent of the costs of replacing ineffective processors within the warranty period. For each case, AVT (Auditory-Verbal Therapy) treatment will be given until the age of three, or more if required.

For children below 18 months of age who have been detected with a hearing impairment, bilateral cochlear implants will be provided if the family agrees to bear the implant costs. The government will bear the cost of the surgery through SAST.