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.
- Expand ear camps and continue developing hospital referral networks to identify and fit pediatric patients.
- Liaise with University of Zimbabwe and conduct a research study on pediatric ear and hearing healthcare in Zimbabwe.
- Engage hospitals, partners and trained personnel to implement and expand a teleaudiology program to strengthen hearing aid aftercare services.
- Strengthen partnerships with Chitungwiza General Hospital and Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.
- Engage and grow the trainee program with the University of Zimbabwe where graduates receive internship placements to apply their academic knowledge in clinical practice.
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.