Kota Kinabalu: Sikuati folks in Kudat with hearing and speech difficulties can have themselves tested for free come Aug 5. Hospital UMS – under the “KPT Prihatin Madani” programme – and the Malaysian Association of Speech and Hearing (Mash) will be conducting a two-day screening at the University’s Rural Medical Education Centre (RMEC) in Sikuati.
Head of the Sabah Chapter of Mash Elsa Rajah said the main objective of the outreach event was to identify and help those with auditory and vocal impediments.
“By offering essential services and support, we aim to make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by these impairments,” she said.
She said volunteer clinical audiologists, speech and language therapists, as well as ear-nose and throat (ENT) doctors from Queen Elizabeth and UMS hospitals, would be on hand to attend to the public.
The activities which are due to be carried out at the RMEC include speech and language screening for kids, hearing screening for individuals of all ages, ENT assessments, parent coaching for youngsters with related issues
Rajah said hearing aids would also be fitted for those who required it and an awareness talk would be given on how to look after these devices.
She said the hearing aids and earmoulds – generously provided by Best Hearing Aid Centre, Pearl Hearing Centre, 20dB Hearing, Audiolab and Ophelia Hearing Specialist – would directly benefit Sikuati residents.
“The UMS programme, Hospital UMS and MASH hope this outreach programme will contribute significantly to the well-being of the local community.”
