Quito, February 27, 2023
On Monday, February 27, 2023 at the Baca Ortiz Pediatric Hospital in Quito, the Minister of Health, José Ruales announced that, with a budget of USD 3,120,700, the acquisition of 73 cochlear implants and 110 replacements is scheduled for this year, which It will benefit nearly 200 people nationwide.
The announcement was made within the framework of International Cochlear Implant Day with the presence of patients, relatives of beneficiaries, doctors and specialists who work in the otorhinolaryngology area of the health establishment.
The cochlear implant attempts to replace the functioning of the inner ear in children who were born with hearing loss or total deafness. With this device, recipients have the opportunity to carry out their activities independently with an ideal instrument to develop their speaking ability.
During his speech, the head of the ministry indicated that the budget for providing services to people with disabilities in Ecuador will be maintained as part of the Government’s public policy that guarantees the right and access to health for the entire population.
“The main thing is to capture cases at the time of birth to provide a solution for life; we are committed, allocating the necessary resources. The important thing is that there are no waiting lists, even less for a child since their hearing disability is detected”, he mentioned.
In addition, he congratulated the work of the professionals and ratified the commitment to maintain quality services at all levels of health care in the country.
In 2022, the national investment for hearing devices (implants, processors and hearing aids) was $3,368,775.66, benefiting 5,600 people. The Baca Ortiz Hospital, during the 2022 period, invested $284,990.00 for the acquisition of 12 cochlear implants and 140 hearing aids for mild, moderate and profound hearing losses. In 2023, the investment for this hospital will be $761,333.84.
This State portfolio guarantees timely attention to the vulnerable population with the purpose of improving their quality of life and development with the environment.
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