Al Jalila Foundation announced a programme on Monday that aims to help hearing-impaired children.
Called Ana Asma’a (I hear) is part of A’awen, the foundation’s treatment support programme, which provides UAE children with cochlear implants to restore hearing. The implants help restore hearing using an electronic medical device that does the work of the damaged parts of the inner ear, providing sound signals to the brain.
“Through Ana Asma’a we are helping parents give their children the opportunity to undergo the latest medical procedures, offering them renewed hope for their child’s future,” said Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, chief executive at Al Jalila. “We consider it an enormous privilege to be able to give children in the UAE the gift of hearing.”
In 2014, the foundation sponsored the treatment of Hanah Sarmiento, 2, who underwent a bilateral cochlear implant at hearLIFE Clinic, one of Al Jalila Foundation’s health care partners.
Hanah’s parents, Alvin and Analyn Sarmiento, said the intervention has given their daughter a brighter future, and said her recovery is a “miracle”.
A’awen, which means support in Arabic, complements the foundation’s investments in medical education and research. Through A’awen, the foundation works directly with health care partners in the UAE to offer financial aid to UAE-based patients.
Hearing loss is one of the region’s top five health problems, estimated to affect 1 in 25 people. The condition mostly affects children from birth; other causes are infection, injury and excessive noise.
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