The Gertrude’s Paediatric Audiology Centre was officially opened by Her Excellency Mette Knudsen, the Royal Danish Ambassador to Kenya, on 24th February, 2016. The centre is a modern facility that aims to diagnose, treat and manage children with varying degrees of hearing impairment. The centre also offers services such as hearing aid treatment, intervention by speech therapists and inclusion of parents (family-centered intervention), thus helping to develop better language and communication skills. This form of holistic treatment approach will give the children a better chance in life.
Oticon A/S and DANIDA Business Partnerships formed a collaboration with Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital, Kenya in 2012 to launch a hearing screening program across three health facilities in Kenya to identify, treat and rehabilitate infants and children with moderate, severe and profound hearing impairment. The two additional facilities are Machakos Level 5 and Thika Level 5 Hospitals.
To-date, Oticon A/S and DANIDA have invested nearly Kshs. 40 Million towards the screening program for children in Kenya. These funds have been channeled towards the training of staff, purchasing equipment, setting up the hearing care center, providing hearing aids to children with hearing impairment and increasing awareness of the screening program.