The State Government has decided to launch the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness (NPPCD) in eight districts to combat the rising incidence of hearing loss and related ailments among the people during the current financial year. A Press release by the Health and Family Welfare Department said Cuttack, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Khordha, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Sambalpur districts have been selected for the purpose in the first phase.
In Odessa, around 300 per lakh people suffer from deafness and 3.8 per cent more persons are added to the total population every year as per the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) Report. The Government has appointed SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack ENT department chief Dr Subrat Behera as the NPPCD Technical Adviser and Health Services Joint Director Dr PKB Pattanaik as the State Nodal Officer while the Additional District Medical Officers (ADMOs), Public Health, of the all the eight concerned districts would act as the District Nodal Officers.
The scheme would be expanded to other districts in the next financial year. “The objective of the programme is to prevent avoidable hearing loss on account of disease or injury. The facility will ensure early identification, diagnosis and treatment of ear problems responsible for hearing loss and deafness,” added the release.
