Rwandan children and adolescents with ear and hearing impairments to access services closer to home
In eight districts across Rwanda, children and young people aged 0-18 will soon be able to benefit from disability-inclusive primary health care services, enabling them to access assistive technology such as digital hearing aids and other services.
Photo credit: Innocent Murengezi / UNICEF
On 6 December 2023 in Kigali, the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), ATscale, and UNICEF Rwanda launched the ‘Ear and Hearing Care (EHC) – Winsiga Ndumva Program on Disability Inclusive (DI) primary health care services’ to improve the lives of children and adolescents with disabilities in Huye District, Rwanda. ATscale is investing US$1,200,372 over 3 years in support of the partnership effort. This newly-launched programme will build on the successful pilot project initiated by RBC and UNICEF Rwanda and scale up the Winsiga Ndumva EHC programme to eight districts.
The EHC programme will help identify those children in need of support through communities, health facilities, schools, and parents/caregivers in Nyagatare, Nyarugenge, Huye, Nyabihu, Musanze, Rwamagana, Rusizi, and Muhanga districts.
By the end of the programme, it is estimated that more than 9,400 children will be screened, and 1,200 with hearing impairments will be provided with digital hearing aids. Family members of these children and teachers from schools for children with hearing impairments will also benefit from the work as they will be more effective in how they support children’s learning, provide day-to-day guidance, and supervise gadgets.
Transforming the lives of children and adolescents
The EHC programme will be implemented by RBC, health facilities, community health workers, and the Umbrella of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities in the Fight against HIV&AIDS and for Health Promotion (UPHLS), in close collaboration with local government authorities, with plans in place to fully institutionalize the programme within existing government health systems and structures.
Photo credit: Innocent Murengezi / UNICEF
Key interventions include a review and update of health policies and strategies to integrate components of ear and hearing care; capacity building of health providers pre-screening to identify children with hearing impairments, and screening to categorize children to be treated and those to be provided with hearing aids; provision of equipment to enable assessment, diagnosis, and programming of hearing aids; community mobilization and engagement; digital hearing aids; and strengthening institutionalization of ear and hearing care, with a focus on primary healthcare settings.
“Today marks a significant step forward in our collective commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive. The launch of the Ear and Hearing Care Programme is a testament to the power of partnerships in transforming the lives of children and adolescents with disabilities.
We are thrilled to support the specific needs of children and adolescents with hearing impairments by providing digital assistive technology, which opens doors to communication, education, and a brighter future," said Julianna Lindsey, UNICEF Representative in Rwanda.
“ATscale is a young initiative, and Rwanda is one of the first countries we have partnered with. I feel very optimistic about the growing momentum I have seen here this week. Thanks to this programme, children and adolescents with hearing impairments will get the assistive technology they need to participate in education, work and social life,” said Satish Mishra, Head of Markets and Global Programmes, ATscale.
Photo credit: Innocent Murengezi / UNICEF
The provision of digital hearing aids has brought about transformative changes in the lives of children with hearing impairments. Formerly isolated and excluded, these children can now communicate with others, achieve academic success, and seamlessly integrate into inclusive schools. The newly-launched programme will build on the successful pilot project and scale up the Winsiga Ndumva EHC programme to eight districts.
Watch this short video to find out more about the launch of the Winsiga Ndumva programme.
Video credit: UNICEF Rwanda