The Ministry of Health will continue to expand and roll out the hearing aid programme next year.
Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony made this disclosure recently.
The minister said persons had to expend $65,000 for this service before the launch of the free hearing aid programme.
Some 500 persons with hearing impairments have benefitted from this initiative thus far, particularly Region One.
Meanwhile, as the government continues to make significant steps in providing eyecare services to Guyanese, the government procured some 4,500 spectacles through the ‘snap on’ spectacles programme.
“Many times, if you go to the villages, they don’t have access to this type of care…In this region [One], we have already started that programme where we are going into the villages, we are testing people’s eyes right there and if they need a spectacle within five minutes of testing their eyes. They will get a pair of spectacles,” the minister added.
A team is deployed to the communities to conduct eye examinations and spectacles are provided to those who require them.
The health minister noted that government will continue to bridge the gap in the provision of health care services in hinterland communities through the ‘snap on’ spectacles and hearing aid initiatives.
“Hundreds of people would have benefitted from these programmes. When we talk about expanding health care and getting to the most vulnerable, these are some of the ways that we are doing that,” Dr Anthony related.
Some 597 spectacles were distributed through the snap on spectacles initiative.
So far, 23 spectacles were distributed in Region Ten, 124 in Region Seven, and 450 in Region Eight.