With the aim to heal hearing disabilities of children and adolescents in North India, the Dr. G. M. Praetorius Foundation for Hygiene & Medicine together with the ENT department’s team of Kalindi Hospital, initiated a series of Medical Charity Camps. Remote regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal like Chamba, Tehri, Nayagoan, Chakrata, Laksiyar, Lakhwad, Purola, Panjjetalani, Sahiya, Shilai, Uttarkashi, Nahan, Sirmaur, Runi, Lakhamdal were also covered.
During screening hundreds of patients with middle ear diseases numerous cases of conductive as well as sensory neural hearing loss were identified. Between December 2016 and August 2017 48 surgeries were performed. Those patients were treated with regular follow-up care at intervals of seven days.
Hearing has improved in almost all cases (except for one or two patients with sensorineural components) improved after surgery. Their behavior and social interaction both in the school as well as in home environment also enhanced a lot due to the increased sound perception. Because of the foul-smelling discharge, which comes along with unsafe chronic suppurative otitis media, affected children are often avoided by their classmates. Now the same children are going to the school with new-found confidence. Some children suffering from bilateral middle ear disease with severe conductive hearing loss, did not communicate too much with anyone while prefering to sit alone silently. Now after surgery they are communicating properly and having a heartwarming smile on their faces during follow up.
Details and progress information about each patient are given in the following table: Medical Camps for Hearing Disabilites 2016/17 – Patients Information