Department of ENT & HNS Marks World Deafness Day 2026 with Free Newborn Hearing Screening Camp

World Deafness Day 2026: Free Newborn Hearing Screening and Parent Awareness Programme

The Department of ENT & Head and Neck Surgery, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), B.G. Nagara, held a free newborn hearing screening and awareness programme on 7 October 2026 for World Deafness Day. The theme was “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights.” The camp ran from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm in the Speech & Audiology Unit, Adichunchanagiri Hospital & Research Centre (AH&RC). It focused on detecting congenital hearing loss early and on why every newborn should have a hearing screen.

Screening Team

Mr. Manoranjan carried out the screening under the guidance of Dr. Nitha, Professor and Head, and Dr. Ravi K.S., Professor, Department of ENT & HNS. Faculty, postgraduates and interns helped with screening and counselling.

Objectives

The programme aimed to:

• offer free hearing screening to newborns using Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)
• find congenital hearing loss early, so that diagnosis and treatment can begin in the first months of life
• make parents and caregivers aware of newborn hearing screening and the risk factors for childhood hearing loss
• counsel families on follow-up, confirmatory tests and rehabilitation options
• strengthen coordination between the Departments of ENT, Paediatrics and Obstetrics for routine newborn screening
• give postgraduates and interns hands-on experience in newborn screening and parent counselling

Screening Camp

Newborns and infants from the postnatal wards, NICU and outpatient departments of AH&RC were screened free of charge using OAE. The test is quick, painless and non-invasive, and is done while the baby is quiet or asleep.

• 22 babies were screened: 17 passed and 5 received a “refer” result.
• Families of babies with a “refer” result were advised to return for a repeat OAE and, where needed, a BERA test to confirm the result.
• About 100 parents and caregivers were counselled on early detection, hearing and speech milestones, risk factors for hearing loss and the importance of follow-up.

Outcomes

• Babies who needed further evaluation were identified early and referred for repeat testing, improving their chances of timely diagnosis and treatment.
• Parents and caregivers became more aware of newborn hearing screening. Many had not known that hearing can be tested soon after birth.
• Staff were reminded that every newborn should be screened before discharge.
• Postgraduates and interns gained hands-on experience in performing OAE, interpreting results and counselling families.

Parents valued the free service and how quick and comfortable the test was. Faculty and postgraduates found the programme well organised and useful for practical learning.

Conclusion

The camp turned World Deafness Day into practical action, helping to catch hearing loss early and support better hearing health for children. The Department of ENT & HNS thanks the Speech & Audiology Unit, faculty, postgraduates, interns and the families who took part.