At Ahmedabad’s Science City, children who recently regained hearing and speech through Gujarat’s cochlear implant support program had an interaction with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The meeting, held at the Aquatic Gallery of Science City, brought together medical rehabilitation outcomes and personal milestones in child healthcare.
Twenty children, who had previously struggled with speech, engaged confidently with the Chief Minister during a guided tour after benefiting from the state’s Cochlear Implant External Speech Processor Replacement Program. Following treatment and rehabilitation, these children were observed conversing and responding with newfound confidence.
Chief Minister Patel interacted warmly and informally with the children, speaking individually with them and guiding them through the facility. Officials noted that his approach reflected a personal touch to the state’s child health initiatives, especially those involving long-term treatment and rehabilitation.
The government program that supported these children offers free cochlear implant surgeries to children up to six years old diagnosed with profound hearing loss. Launched in 2014 under the School Health Program, it has assisted over 3,500 children across Gujarat, providing treatment through a network of 10 hospitals offering specialized ENT care, audiology services, and speech therapy.
