Maharashtra plans cochlear implant facility for patients with hearing impairment in all municipal hospitals

The Maharashtra government is considering setting up cochlear implant surgery facilities for deaf patients, along with early detection and treatment services, in municipal corporation hospitals across the state.

At present, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) provides the facility, and along similar lines, the state government is planning to expand it across other municipal corporations.

Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said he would discuss the proposal with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and public health minister Prakashrao Abitkar to ensure that children with hearing impairments receive timely diagnosis and treatment at municipal hospitals across Maharashtra.

A cochlear implant is a small, complex electronic medical device that provides a sense of sound to people who are deaf or have severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sound, cochlear implants bypass damaged hair cells in the inner ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve through electrical signals, helping individuals perceive sound.

Shinde was speaking at a Diwali gathering organised at Nandanvan, his official residence at Malabar Hill, for children who have undergone heart and cochlear implant surgeries and their parents.

He said the Thane Municipal Corporation had already introduced cochlear implant surgery facilities, benefiting several children. A portion of the expenditure for these surgeries was borne by the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. The civic body has now also started facilities for early diagnosis.

"If surgery is performed at the right time, a child can develop the ability to hear and speak, changing the course of their entire life. Therefore, providing these facilities is a need of the hour and a social responsibility," Shinde said.

Shinde also cited examples of beneficiaries who had gone on to achieve remarkable success. One girl who underwent cochlear implant surgery secured admission to IIT, while another boy was selected for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), he said.

He said that Shiv Sena Medical Help Cell and the Dr Shrikant Shinde Foundation had been supporting families of children with hearing disabilities and heart conditions for the past nine years. The initiative has reached 28 districts, with teams visiting villages from Gadchiroli to Sangli to identify children requiring medical intervention. Children were brought to Mumbai for surgeries.