22 July 2009

Cochlear Implant funding

The NSW Government has allocated an extra half a million dollars funding so more adults can receive life changing Cochlear implants.

NSW Minister for Health, John Della Bosca, made the announcement during a visit to the Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre.

“I have today witnessed the life changing moment when a recipient had her Cochlear implant switched on for the first time,” the Minister said.

“Kate Loche can now continue her career as a journalist.

“The implants enable the profoundly deaf or severely hearing impaired to reconnect with the world in countless ways that most of us just simply take for granted.

“That’s why the NSW Government currently provides annual funding of almost $3 million for 86 cochlear implants, 54 for children and 32 for adults.

“But I’m very pleased to be able to provide an additional $500,000 for another 15 adult implants on top of those currently provided,” the Minister said.

“Around one in 1000 children is born deaf in Australia every year and another one in a thousand becomes deaf by the age of seven.

“The NSW Government has provided 1100 cochlear implants for children and adults in its 25 year association with the Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre.

“Access to the Cochlear implant in NSW is amongst the highest per capita in the world,” the Minister said.

“The combination of a world standard state-wide newborn screening program (SWISH) has seen the lowering of the age of Cochlear implantation to around three months of age.

“This was a very important step because any possible delays in a child’s development are potentially avoided,” he added.

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au