Gayatri Medical College (GVP Hospital) has performed cochlear implant surgeries on Mahanya and Manaswini, 8-year-old twins from Vajrapukotturu in Srikakulam district. The surgeries were performed under the Arogyasri scheme as a special case on the recommendation of Minister S. Appalaraju and approval of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Speaking to the media here on Monday, Prof and HoD (ENT) M.V. Rao and his team said the surgeries were done on August 18 and 19. The girls were sanctioned ₹6.5 lakh each for the surgery. The girls were suffering from bilateral profound hearing loss from birth along with delayed speech.
He said that free screening was being done at the hospital for hearing problems in children and those with delayed speech. Children below five years of age would be screened free of cost to detect hearing problems in them.
Y. Subbarayudu, noted Cochlear Implant surgeon of Guntur, supervised the surgeries. The other members of the surgery team were S. Suryapakasa Rao, D.R.K. Raju, S. Niharika and P. Srinivas. The anaesthesia team were Kurmanadh, Bhaskara Rao and Padmavathi.Audiologist Aruna would provide auditory verbal therapy for the children.
P.S. Rao and P. Somaraju, president and secretary of GVP Educational Institutions, were present.
