JOS/Nigeria: In a compelling appeal, Prof. Samuel Adoga, a distinguished Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeon at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Plateau State, has called upon the Federal Government to incorporate cochlear implants into the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) coverage. His impassioned plea was delivered during a virtual Stakeholders’ forum, organized by Cochlear Ltd, a prominent medical device company, to Review the outlook of Cochlear Nucleus Implantation in Nigeria.
Cochlear implants, described by Adoga as “a piece of electronic prosthesis used for the rehabilitation of profound hearing loss and deafness,” have the potential to be a game-changer for individuals grappling with these debilitating conditions.
Adoga underscored the urgency of including cochlear implants in NHIA coverage, highlighting that it would help alleviate the financial burden on patients, significantly enhance accessibility to this life-changing treatment, and curtail the growing trend of medical tourism.
“Cochlear implant is an expensive treatment. Available data shows the total costs of cochlear implants, including the devices, surgery, and rehabilitation is about N20 million in Nigeria, and $50,000 to $100,000 in Europe and the United States, respectively,” Adoga revealed. “Many Nigerians, especially the poor, cannot afford it. This is why we are urging the government to formulate policies that subsidize the cost for Nigerian patients.”
Drawing parallels with global healthcare practices, Adoga emphasized the need for the government to take proactive measures. “In Europe, any child delivered with hearing loss will have cochlear implants because they are enrolled for health insurance. In Egypt, the government pays for one year,” he noted. “We need the government to intervene in this aspect by including this treatment in the coverage of the NHIA,” he stressed.
Dr. Pokop Bupwatda, Chief Medical Director of JUTH, echoed Adoga’s sentiments, urging for specialized training of ENT specialists in the field of cochlear implants in Nigeria.
Mr. Marwan Salama, the Business Manager North East and Sub-Saharan Africa at Cochlear Ltd, shared insights into the company’s significant investments of over two billion Australian dollars in research and development of cochlear implants. Salama expressed the company’s goal of transforming the lives of patients grappling with hearing impairments.
“The event’s objective is to gather policymakers, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders to develop a guideline on how to alleviate the sufferings of patients with hearing impairment in Nigeria,” he elaborated. “Cochlear helps to restore hearing and connect people to a world of sound. We seek the government’s support to implement the Cochlear implantation program in Nigeria through the NHIA. We also call for the introduction of Newborn Hearing screening and financing the services of implantation in well-equipped federal hospitals across the four regions in Nigeria. This will ease access for citizens and reduce the rate of medical tourism.”
In response to the passionate appeals, The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammed Pate, acknowledged the significance of addressing hearing loss as a disability that requires attention to enhance the quality of life for patients. He assured that they would earnestly consider the technology to provide the best way forward for patients with hearing impairment.
This heartfelt plea by Prof. Samuel Adoga and the collective call from medical professionals and stakeholders serve as a compelling push towards transforming the lives of deaf individuals in Nigeria and ensuring they have access to a vital intervention that can restore their hearing and reconnect them with the world of sound.
