Cochlear Implants donated to Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in Byculla for needy patients

Central Railway, general manager Anil Kumar Lahoti, on behalf of Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial Hospital (Dr. BAMH), Byculla, accepted Cochlear Implants donated to the hospital by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. [DFCCIL] at the Handing Over Ceremony organized in the GM's Meeting hall at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai on December 14, 2021.

Under the guidance of Lahoti, Central Railway has approached organizations with robust CSR programs like Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. [DFCCIL] to sponsor donation of these Cochlear Implants of the desired specifications to the needy deaf patients, awaiting surgery in the ENT Department of Dr. BAMH, Byculla. Accordingly, DFCCIL has coordinated the donation of High End Cochlear Implants manufactured in Austria by MED-EL under the CSR Initiative of Plasser India Private Limited .

A Cochlear Implant : is an electronic device used in cases of Deafness in both Children and Adults. The ENT Department of the hospital is not only a pioneer in the field of Cochlear Implant Surgery but also a Centre of Excellence in the field carrying out 20 to 25 Cochlear Implants per year since 2004. Dr. BAMH/BY has also entered into an MOU with Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech & Hearing Disabilities (AYJNISHD) as per revised “Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances” (ADIP) Scheme 2014 of Government of India, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), New Delhi on June 11, 2021, for a period of two years for Cochlear Implant Surgery of Below Poverty Line deaf children of the general public.

Ravindra Kumar Jain Managing Director DFCCIL, B.K. Dadabhoy, Additional General Manager, Yashvir Singh Ataria, Principal Chief Medical Director, Central Railway and other Principal Head of Departments of Central Railway, Siegfried Fink, Country Head of Plasser India Pvt. Ltd, Dr. Meera Arora, Medical Director, Dr. BAMH, Byculla, other Senior Officers of Central Railway, DFCCIL were also present.

A brief presentation of the “Cochlear Implant Programme of Dr. BAMH/BY” was given by Dr. Deepak Dalmia on the occasion and vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Meera Arora, Medical Director Dr. BAMH, Byculla.

All COVID-19 protocols were followed during the event.