Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T11:28:59.255Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Cochlear implantation in Malawi: report of the first four cases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 August 2017

W Mulwafu ,
D R Strachan ,
R Bartlett  and
C Caron
W Mulwafu*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi
D R Strachan
Affiliation:
Yorkshire Auditory Implant Service, Bradford Royal Infirmary, UK
R Bartlett
Affiliation:
ABC Clinic, Lilongwe, Malawi
C Caron
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Wakisa Mulwafu, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Private Bag 360, Blantyre, Malawi E-mail: wmulwafu2@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

This paper reports on the first four cochlear implant cases in Malawi.

Case reports:

Three patients were deafened from infectious diseases and one from an unknown cause. They all had post-lingual deafness. Six months after the last implant, they are all progressing well.

Conclusion:

Despite significant practical difficulties, it has proved possible, with the right support, to carry out cochlear implantation in one of the world's poorest countries. The project has also raised awareness of deafness in Malawi and highlighted significant public health issues relating to the aetiology of deafness in developing countries.

Keywords

Cochlear ImplantsAfricaHearing Loss
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 131 , Issue 10 , October 2017 , pp. 914 - 918
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 World Health Organization. Prevention of blindness and deafness: estimates. In: http://www.who.int/pbd/deafness/estimates/en/ [16 May 2017]Google Scholar
2 Stevens, G, Flaxman, S, Brunskill, E, Mascarenhas, M, Mathers, CD, Finucane, M. Global and regional hearing impairment prevalence: an analysis of 42 studies in 29 countries. Eur J Public Health 2013;23:146–52Google Scholar
3 Emmett, SD, Tucci, DL, Smith, M, Macharia, IM, Ndegwa, SN, Nakku, D et al. GDP matters: cost effectiveness of cochlear implantation and deaf education in Sub-Saharan Africa. Otol Neurotol 2015;36:1357–65CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 Kerr, G, Tuomi, S, Müller, A. Costs involved in using a cochlear implant in South Africa. S Afr J Commun Disord 2012;59:16–26 Google Scholar
5 UNAIDS. The Gap Report. In: http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/UNAIDS_Gap_report_en.pdf [25 July 2017]Google Scholar
6 World Health Organization. WHO's work with countries: WHO Country Cooperation Strategies and Briefs. In: http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/ccsbrief_mwi_en.pdf [25 July 2017]Google Scholar
7 Saunders, J, Barrs, D. Cochlear implantation in developing countries as humanitarian service: physician attitudes and recommendations for best practice. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2011;145:74–9Google Scholar
8 Byaruhanga, R, Roland, JT Jr, Buname, G, Kakande, E, Awubwa, M, Ndorelire, C et al. A case report: the first successful cochlear implant in Uganda. Afri Health Sci 2015;15:1342–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9 Suleiman, AO, Suleiman, BM, Abdulmajid, UF, Suleiman, MR, Mustapha, AY, Afolabi, OA et al. Paediatric cochlear implantation in north-western Nigeria: case report and review of our challenges. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2014;78:363–5Google Scholar
10 Mulwafu, W, Ensink, R, Kuper, H, Fagan, J. Survey of ENT services in sub-Saharan Africa: little progress between 2009 and 2015. Glob Health Action 2017;10:1289736 Google Scholar