Deaf Children Await Lifesaving Implants Amid Funding Gap

The health department in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has urgently requested increased government funding to provide cochlear implants for approximately 1,000 deaf and dumb children. The Sehat Card Plus (SCP) scheme, which offers cashless treatment, currently allocates about Rs150 million for cochlear implants monthly. This amount is proving insufficient given the high success rate and demand for the procedure, leading to a significant backlog of children, many of whom are between three to four years old.

Officials noted that the ideal age for cochlear implants is before five years of age to ensure optimal results. To date, 240 children have received implants, primarily at Hayatabad Medical Complex and two private hospitals. The department aims to double the funding for cochlear implants to clear the waiting list within months. The SCP, launched in 2016, has already benefited over five million people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, costing approximately Rs150 billion. The program covers a wide range of treatments including cardiac, cancer, and various surgical procedures, with specialized transplants like liver and kidney also facilitated due to their high costs.