By BEVERLY C. PAOYON
ALABEL, Sarangani (July 10, 2015) – Starkey Hearing Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to building better lives for hearing-impaired people across the world, will visit Sarangani the third time for a hearing mission.
This time, the provincial government of Sarangani targets around 1,230 people to benefit from Starkey’s hearing aid gift-giving that costs roughly P15,000 to P20,000 each set.
The visit is slated in November.
Starkey is the world’s leading manufacturer of comprehensive hearing solutions and donates thousands of hearing aids in many countries every year.
At least 385 persons were already screened but only 256 qualified and underwent ear impression while 39 others were referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist volunteer physician for a possible ear infection treatment.
Starkey is the partner foundation of Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon’s office in its Serbisyong Sarangan Outreach Program that is anchored on addressing the needs of the less fortunate and people with disability (PWD) who have hearing defects.
The program also serves to create a friendly environment for PWDs in the province.
Program manager Asma Akmad said the partnership with Starkey was an offshoot of their effort of exploring possible partners that could help them “provide the needs of PWDs like hearing aids, and mobility devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes and crutches.”
In 2013, Starkey distributed P9.3 million worth of hearing aids to some 1,200 patients in the province.
Last year, a total of 1,570 patients from all over SOCSARGEN area and Cagayan de Oro got their early Christmas gift from the foundation.
Akmad said, Starkey spent around P34.5 million for all types of hearing instruments that were distributed in their 2015 mission in the province. This included the seven specialized hearing aids costing P120,000 a set for those patients with no outer ear.
The provincial government “is very thankful for the assistance of Starkey because we could not cater all concerns of our PWDs here,” Akmad said. “At least, with our partnership with them, the needs of our PWDs could now be answered thru a gift giving from the foundation.”
On July 14 to 17, Akmad and her team will visit Kiamba, Maasim, Glan and Malungon for a phase one hearing screening. (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
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