WPDI and Starkey Hearing Foundation mobilized to provide care to patients with hearing devices
On 25 February, WPDI joined forces with the Starkey Hearing Foundation team for Phase 2 of the program to provide hearing devices and aftercare services to patients already equipped with hearing aids.
To maintain or repair devices and assess patients’ situations and needs, WPDI and Starkey received them at the WPDI Community Learning Center in Gulu which serves as well as an aftercare center. As an illustration of Starkey’s motto, "Alone we can't do much. Together we can change the world," a number of WPDI staff and youth peacemakers had been trained to assist patients with their machines as part of the partnership between WPDI and Starkey. The direct implication of WPDI staff and youth peacemakers in the process proved instrumental to ensure optimal quality of service.
The needs were real as prospective patients started lining up at the registration desk well before it opened at 7.30 a.m. During the day, a total of 201 patients were served for various issues linked to their device; more than 350 hearing aids were donated and fitted to people including 165 students; and around 5,600 batteries were provided to patients.
The success of this aftercare campaign invites WPDI to reinforce this program notably by reaching out to local partners such as the Gulu hospital to provide nurses and schools to support more patients. Following up on patients is one of the most crucial parts of such a health program, which needs to be sustainable and reliable if people who have hearing problems and live in small or remote communities are to have access to the care they deserve. WPDI jointly with Starkey will also offer aftercare trainings in schools in the coming weeks to ensure that teachers can support students equipped with hearing aids.