Qatar Charity, a Qatar-based international charity organisation, has launched a cochlear implant programme for children at Doha Hospital (Doha Specialist Hospital) in Khartoum, marking the resumption of this specialised service in Sudan for the first time since the outbreak of the war.
The programme will provide an important service for families in need of specialised hearing care. According to Qatar Charity’s international programmes and development expert, Dr Abdul Majeed Al Humaidi, the initiative aims to help children access sound, communication, education, and social integration. “We are certain that investing in children’s health is an investment in the future of an entire nation,” he said.
The launch ceremony was attended by the Federal Minister of Health Dr Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, the Governor of Khartoum State Ahmed Osman Hamza, and the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Sudan HE Mohammed Ibrahim Al Sada, alongside health and humanitarian officials.
“Restoring cochlear implant services in Sudan is not an ordinary event, but a major achievement and a milestone in the return of specialised services in Khartoum,” said Dr Ibrahim, adding that the resumption of the service reflects renewed support for Sudan’s health sector at a critical time.
According to Acting Director of Doha Hospital, Dr Ibrahim Ali Omar, 300 children had applied for electronic cochlear implant surgery, while 10 operations are planned under the programme. He said the figures underscore the need for additional support to expand access for children for whom hearing aids are no longer sufficient, particularly as many families cannot afford the high cost of the procedure.
A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that helps people who are very hard of hearing or deaf. It bypasses damaged parts of the inner ear and sends electrical signals directly to the hearing nerve, allowing the brain to understand sound. Dr Ibrahim stated that the cochlear implant services in Sudan were first introduced with Qatari assistance.
According to Ambassador Al Sada, Qatar-backed medical campaigns and camps have been launched in several states across Sudan, including initiatives in ophthalmology and urology, with further programmes planned in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health.
The cochlear implant programme builds on Qatar Charity’s recent specialised health initiatives in Sudan. These include four eye-care and surgery camps that examined 6,000 people with visual impairments and performed 600 operations in cooperation with Makkah Hospital in Port Sudan, Sennar, Wad Madani, and River Nile State. Qatar Charity also held a medical camp for children with congenital heart conditions at Madani Heart Center, where 60 procedures were performed through cardiac catheterisation and open-heart surgery. In addition, it has supplied hospitals with medical equipment and materials, including kidney dialysis machines, laboratory equipment, intensive care devices, and neonatal incubators, with support from donors in Qatar.
Source: ReliefWeb, Qatar Tribune
