Mindanao Neonatal Hearing Screening Center

Lack of Hearing Screening in Davao
With malnutrition and infectious disease demanding the attention of Davao City's government and medical professionals, few resources are available for hearing screening. Even though hearing loss is the most common congenital anomaly in newborns, the city of 1.2 million people has neither a screening facility nor a full-time audiologist. As a result, hearing screening, otoacoustic emission, and auditory brainstem-evoked response exams are not standards of care, and children born with hearing loss do not receive proper intervention. The long-term effects can be devastating, as few educational and employment opportunities are available to the hard-of-hearing.

Comprehensive Plan for Hearing Screening
Quota International of Davao City's neonatal hearing screening program will change the lives of children born today and in the future. The club has acquired a screening machine and established its own hearing screening center, where families from all over the city can bring their newborns. Quotarians are also making services available outside the center, partnering with local otolaryngologists to offer free hearing consultations for communities throughout Davao City. In 2007-2009, they aim to further extend their radius of service and educate the public about hearing health.

Hearing Screening Legislation
The Davao City club will also take steps to ensure that hearing screening becomes standard procedure for every child through legislation. With their center as a model, they will initiate talks with government officials to pass a hearing screening ordinance and regularize free clinics and hearing consultations. 2010 is their target date for universal hearing screening in the city.

Coordinating clinics, securing the services of professionals, and promoting this important initiative all require resources. The screening program, transportation to clinics, meals, staff uniforms and salary, and media coverage, as well as a promotional event in November 2007 (National Hearing Month in the Philippines) will all be funded by donations through the Club-to-Club program.

• If you wish to donate to this project, please click here.
  
  
• To read about Davao City's 2006 Club-to-Club accomplishments, click here.
  

• To learn more about the Philippines, click here.
  
  
• To return to the Club-to-Club World Service page,
  click here.