All newborns will undergo screening for hearing by the end of the current Iranian year next March, under a joint initiative by the Health Ministry and the State Welfare Organization.
“Based on the MoU signed with the SWO at the end of last year (March 19), the screening program will reach 100% national coverage this year,” said Saeed Mahmoudian, head of the National Hearing Health Plan, ISNA reported.
Screening for deafness has covered 65% of infants (or 800,000 to 900,000 among the 1.4 million new births annually) so far. Testing should be carried out within the first six months after a baby’s birth as any hearing complications, if diagnosed and treated, can help prevent deafness in later life.
