Challenge
Zimbabwe’s public healthcare system was considered one of the best in Africa in the 1980s. Unfortunately, it has significantly declined in quality in recent years.
Today, the population increasingly relies on support from private providers and non-profit organizations from both within and outside the country for medical care.
Infectious diseases among pregnant women and children are widespread in Zimbabwe and can lead to hearing loss in newborns and children. Early intervention is crucial, as the first six years of life are especially important for language acquisition. Without private initiatives, these children rarely receive examinations, diagnoses, or hearing aids.
Thanks to our local partner, infants are already being screened for hearing loss in public hospitals in Zimbabwe. However, due to cost constraints, not all children with hearing loss can be provided with hearing aids. There is also a lack of training opportunities for audiologists and hearing care professionals in public hospitals, preventing graduates from gaining practical experience.
How we help
We support hearing screenings for infants, children, and adolescents. We provide access to diagnosis and hearing aids and fund internships for trained audiology professionals. Additionally, we offer continuing education and training for professionals.
- Through hearing screening camps across the country, 4,000 infants, children, and adolescents will be screened in six provinces, including facilities for children with disabilities
- Around 1,300 hearing aids and batteries will be provided. The government subsidizes devices for children under 5 years old, while families pay a portion.
- Graduates receive internship placements to apply their academic knowledge in clinical practice
- Additionally, 308 technicians from the Harare Institute of Technology will be trained in ear mold production to ensure hearing aids are individually fitted
- Diagnostic services are already available in eight hospitals (e.g. Victoria Chitepo, Bindura), with plans to expand to six more facilities
- Expansion of the referral network for hospitals across the country.
Our Partner
WizEar, founded in 2008, is Zimbabwe’s leading non-profit organization supporting people with hearing loss. The organization has the infrastructure and expertise needed to provide effective care for children with hearing loss throughout the country.