The second week of December saw clinics in the Upper Egyptian cities of Qena and Luxor jammed with families accompanying their young ones, eager to know more about the perplexing causes of hearing loss that has affected many of their children. Awareness sessions were intensely conducted, shedding light on the importance of early detection of hearing loss, especially in the cases of inter-familial marriage, which is common in rural areas. These sessions came as part of a national campaign led by Egyptian NGO Masr El-Kheir, in collaboration with several governmental entities and with the private sector's MED-EL. The aim of the campaign is to visit several governorates to donate cochlear implants and perform necessary surgeries in host university hospitals for children suffering hearing loss, in addition to raising awareness regarding prevention and early treatment. This time, it was Qena's turn, where the governor joined the session and discussed the issue with doctors and residents. In a previous round, children completed cochlear implant surgery in Al-Minya governorate in November 2015. In March 2016, another drive focused on Fayoum. Children were offered treatment for free, and in Sohag and Assiut as well. According to the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, it is estimated that around 4.5 million people in Egypt (around five per cent of the population) are living with partial or complete hearing loss. Children make up around 130,000 of these estimates. The cochlear implant procedure is considered most effective when performed between ages 1 and 5. Hearing impairment in a child affects skills of speaking, engaging in society and academic achievement, and the ripple effect resonates in the child's family and society at large. Most hearing impairment cases occur in economically poor governorates.
