The Department of Health (DOH) – Ilocos Region has turned-over a total of 10 newborn hearing machines to level 1 health facilities in Ilocos Region as part of the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program (UNHSP) for the prevention, early diagnosis, and intervention of hearing loss among infants and newborns.
“Napakahalaga na magkaroon ng hearing screening ang lahat ng infants upang malaman kung sila ay may problema sa pandinig, especially during their early development, because it can affect their ability to communicate effectively. Hearing is necessary in the speech development and mental growth of a child,” Regional Director Pula Paz M. Sydiongco stated during the turn-over ceremony held in San Juan, La Union on June 30, 2023.
“Through hearing, babies develop speech and language skills by listening and imitating sounds from the environment. It enables them to bond with their parents and other members of the family dahil nagkakaroon sila ng voice recognition kasama na ang pagunawa sa mga verbal cues. Infants acquire knowledge through auditory stimulation and any delay or impairment in hearing can significantly impact an infant’s cognitive, social, and emotional development,” she explained.
A total of 10 newborn hearing screening devices were donated to Piddig District Hospital, Doña Josefa Edralin Marcos District Hospital in Ilocos Norte; Ilocos Sur District Hospital – Narvacan, Ilocos Sur District Hospital – Bessang Pass, Ilocos Sur District Hospital – Salcedo in Ilocos Sur; and Bolinao Community Hospital, Umingan Community Hospital, Dasol Community Hospital, Manaoag Community Hospital and Pozorrubio Community Hospital in Pangasinan.
The hearing screening devices are worth ₱412,500 each, or a total of ₱4,125,000. It includes handheld unit, cradle, carrying bag, probe cord and thermal printer.
Assistant Regional Director Rodolfo Antonio M. Albornoz emphasized the importance of establishing newborn hearing screening units in various public health facilities in the region. “Kasama na dito ang pagkakaroon ng isang regional registry for newborn hearing registry para malaman natin kung ilan ang infants screened, detected and treated. And from these data we can determine the number of newborns affected by hearing loss and we can provide them the immediate intervention and treatment.”
The regional office will conduct a training activity for health workers who will manage the newborn hearing screening machine to effectively operate the device.
Regional Coordinator for Newborn Screening Cyrus Jed Ramos said that a total of 16,884 infants were screened from January 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023.
“We are encouraging mothers of newborns to submit your child to hearing screening test to ensure their health and safety.”
DOH – Ilocos Assistant Regional Director Rodolfo Antonio M. Albornoz emphasizes to recipients of the newborn hearing screening machine the importance of conducting hearing tests on infants 24 hours after birth to ensure that they have no hearing defects during the turn-over ceremony held on La Union on June 30, 2023
Regional Newborn Screening Coordinator Cyrus Jed Ramos explains to recipients the requirements for undergoing training for the newborn hearing machine for proper utilization and maintenance.
An audiometrician shows the delicate parts of the ear and the process on how to conduct hearing test on infants during the demonstration of the newborn hearing screening machine to recipients
