Children with hearing impairments in Shizuoka, a coastal city in Japan, are set to benefit significantly starting next year from a new program funded by a 6.5 million Australian dollar ($4.4 million) initiative jointly supported by the city and the Australian government.
The pioneering program, facilitated by the Australian not-for-profit organization the Shepherd Center, will involve the training of experts at Shizuoka General Hospital over a three-year period. This initiative aims to enhance early intervention strategies for addressing hearing issues among young children in Japan.
A key component of the program will be the use of cochlear implants provided by Cochlear, a leading manufacturer in the field. Japan currently faces one of the lowest adoption rates of hearing aids and implants among developed nations due to stringent eligibility criteria for government subsidies based on the severity of hearing loss.
In an effort to improve access to cochlear implants, Japanese public health experts advocate for lowering eligibility thresholds and reducing the age limit for implantation, which currently stands at one year compared to six months in Australia.
Cochlear CEO Dig Howitt expressed optimism about the potential impact of the program, noting that over 90% of Australian children who could benefit from cochlear implants already have access to them. He emphasized the goal of achieving similar accessibility in Japan, calling it a significant milestone.
CEO Aleisha Davis of the Shepherd Center highlighted that the collaboration with Shizuoka General Hospital follows a decade of discussions. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, whose department provided funding for the initiative, praised the collaboration as a testament to the fruitful partnership between Australia and Japan.
The program represents a significant step forward in addressing hearing impairments among children in Japan, aiming to improve their ability to listen, learn, and communicate effectively from an early age.
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