Newborn hearing assessment centre at Lady Goschen

There is a need to create awareness on neonatal screening towards the detection of hearing problems in children at an initial stage, said MAHE Vice Chancellor Dr H Vinod Bhat.

He was speaking at a formal programme organised after the inauguration of ‘Dhwani’, the newborn hearing assessment centre, supported by the Kasturba Medical College and Pai Family Foundation, at the Government Lady Goschen Hospital in Mangaluru on Tuesday.

Dr Bhat further said that the centre, along with conducting the screening, will take care of the rehabilitation of children who require cochlear implant and belong to financially less privileged families.

The centre is located on the third floor of ONGC-MRPL Anniversary Wing. The MAHE-Pai family endowment is built in memory of Suhas Gopal Pai. Around 75 babies will be screened in a day at the KMC Hospital for ear-related problems. The Pai Family Foundation has supported the centre.

Anuradha Gopal Pai, of the Pai Family Foundation, inaugurated the centre. Speaking on the occasion, she appreciated the standard health care and the system of medicine in Mangaluru. “The city has nurtured many young medical professionals,” he pointed out.

KMC, Mangaluru, Dean Dr M Ventakaraya Prabhu presided over the programme. Pro Vice Chancellor Dr V Surendra Shetty and Government Lady Goschen Hospital Superintendent Dr Savitha B S were present on the occasion.