Ten people- three women, two men and five children- have regained their hearing following a free cochlear implant sponsored by the Lagos State government.
The surgery was conducted by the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) team of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device that replaces a damaged inner ear. Unlike hearing aids, which make sounds louder, cochlear replaces the damaged parts of the inner ear (cochlea) to provide sound signals to the brain.
For Rufai Nureni, 55, and a computer operator, the oldest recipient of the free cochlear implant, who lost his hearing 15 years ago, the day he received the cochlear transplant was significant.
He recalled: "The gradual loss started on September 2001 and I finally lost my hearing on September 21, 2001. But the restoration process started and ended this year. I can hear the 'Call to prayer' bell, the ringing of my handset. The falling of items. I can say for the first time I am enjoying the government. I have no political affiliation. I heard about the programme, applied and was selected. I am really grateful to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode," Nureni said.
Mrs Temitope Ogunkole, mother of seven-year-old Darasimi, a beneficiary, said it was tough bringing up her child. "It was not easy at all. The final stage of the surgery was really gladdening. It was in three phases. The first two went well. The last one capped the effort.
"My child lived with the hearing loss since he was nine months when he fell sick and when we took him to a general hospital. The antibiotic given to him made him to lose his hearing within two weeks. It was difficult talking to him through non-verbal communication. One cannot call him, tell him to sit or stand without tapping him and gesticulating. Little things children of his age do became hard. We enrolled him in a special school. He picked up some simple language signs.
''But based on the cochlear implant, he can now hear sounds. He is going to pick up the language soon. I am so glad it was done freely by LASUTH, and it was sponsored by the state government," Mrs Ogunkole said.
A civil servant, Mrs Abosede Sanya-Alabi, was all smiles. She said she had been able to hear after the treatment.
The head of the surgical team, Dr Wale Olubi said the feat brought out the best in the team. "It was an eye-opener. We did not feel we could lose any patient. It only took us more time to do that which we could do, because we were trying to master the equipment," he said.
An audiologist, Mr Simeon Afolabi and Speech Language Pathologist, Miss Afolabi Mayowa, assured that with the right management, the kids would pick up appropriate language in their environment.
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