9.5 Million Newborns Screened for Hearing Impairment Since 2019

More than 9.5 million newborns in Egypt have been screened for hearing impairment since the launch of a national early detection programme in September 2019, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.

The screening is carried out under the Presidential Initiative for the Early Detection and Treatment of Hearing Impairment in Newborns, with services available across 3,825 health units nationwide for infants up to 28 days old.

A network of 34 specialised referral centres supports diagnosis and treatment across all governorates. Officials said more than 626,000 children have been referred for follow-up examinations within one week of their initial screening.

Treatment services under the programme include cochlear implants for 3,258 children, hearing aids for 13,032 children and medical treatment for 24,490 children.

The referral centres are equipped with specialised medical technology to provide diagnostic testing and treatment. Authorities noted that failing a second screening does not automatically indicate hearing loss, but requires further assessment at one of the designated centres.

The programme forms part of broader efforts to expand healthcare coverage and improve service quality. Implementation has included training nursing staff to operate screening devices and enabling digital registration of newborns, with results integrated into national health records.