A team of surgeons from Morocco is in Kenya to perform cochlear implant surgeries on more than 50 children with severe hearing impairments.
The doctors are collaborating with Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeons from Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
So far, eight patients have undergone successful surgeries at the KNH main theatres since the initiative began on Monday. The collaborative program will run until November 7, 2025, marking the very first cochlear implant surgeries ever conducted at KNH and, by extension, within Kenya’s public healthcare sector.
“This project is a major milestone for Kenya as it is poised to make KNH a Centre of Excellence in the treatment and management of hearing impairment in the region”, KNH management said.
The project has been made possible through a collaboration between the First Lady, Rachel Ruto and Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa of Morocco, who donated devices valued at over Kshs 120 Million.
The First Lady urged the Ministry of Health to ensure that the implants reach children most in need across the country.
“The Ministry’s support in coordinating both the surgical procedures and the essential post-surgery therapy will enable beneficiaries to fully embrace a new phase of life — one defined by sound, connection, and opportunity,” she added.
Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Ouma Oluga, noted that the Social Health Authority (SHA) will fully cover the cost of the surgeries, which fall within its benefits package at a reimbursement rate of Ksh358,000 per patient.
EXPLAINER:
Cochlear implant surgery is a procedure for individuals with severe to profound hearing loss, involving the surgical implantation of an electronic device to directly stimulate the auditory nerve.
The surgery, typically performed under general anaesthesia, involves making an incision behind the ear to place the internal receiver under the scalp and insert an electrode array into the inner ear (cochlea).
