Listening to people’s needs

November 02, 2011 | 15:10

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German-backed Siemens is seeking a better life for Vietnamese patients with hearing loss.

The hand-over ceremony of 640 Siemens hearing aid devices took place in Ho Chi Minh City with 640 poor patients with hearing problems living in the country’s central and southern regions to enjoy a better life.

“This magic becomes a reality thanks to the charitable donation of Americans Helping Asian Children, the Consular Club in Ho Chi Minh City and Siemens Medical Instruments through the Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients in Ho Chi Minh City,” said a Siemens release.

Siemens Vietnam's president and CEO Erdal Elver with a hearing impaired child

It is estimated that the number of disable children between up to 16 years old in Vietnam is about one million of which children with hearing loss account for 12 per cent.

However, not all families afford a pair of hearing aid device for their offspring.

In order to help poor children with hearing problem have a better life and future through better education and social integration, there have been many charity programmes such as “Sound and voice to hearing impaired children”. This programme is run by the Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients (SAPP) in Ho Chi Minh City.

Some 13,000 hearing aids have been provided for the children of hearing loss in the region since 1998.

At the ceremony, some 284 hearing impaired children of 16 schools in Ho Chi Minh City and nearby provinces got hearing aids.

“We are grateful to Americans Helping Asian Children, The Consular Club ladies and Siemens for your sponsorship thanks to which we can fulfill our mandate in helping poor patients, especially hearing impaired children to integrate into a normal living environment and be more successful in life,” said SAPP chairman Tran Thanh Long.

By Thanh Tung

vir.com.vn

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