The LIC Golden Jubilee Foundation has transformed the lives of profoundly deaf children and their families by providing free cochlear implants, giving them the opportunity to hear and communicate. Shri. K. Murlidar, Zonal Manager, LIC of India, Southern Zonal Office, Chennai, inaugurated the plaque for the cochlear implant surgeries project.

Children born with congenital deafness fail to develop speech and are often labelled as deaf-mute. While hearing aids help those with mild to moderate hearing loss, children with profound deafness require advanced rehabilitative devices such as a cochlear implant. A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device that bypasses the damaged parts of the inner ear to provide a sense of sound to these children. Once the children begin to hear, they gradually start speaking with the help of intensive therapy. This intervention can transform their entire course of life, enabling them to integrate into regular schools and become functional members of society.

The Department of Otolaryngology at CMC Vellore has performed cochlear implantation surgeries for 17 deserving children, providing them with a life-changing opportunity. With the generous support of LIC of India, which covered the cost of the implant, surgery, and therapy, these children were able to access this state-of-the-art technology that might otherwise have been beyond their reach.

Dr. Vikram Mathews, Director, CMC Vellore, said, “We are deeply grateful to LIC of India for their generous support, which enables us to provide this life-changing treatment at subsidised cost and brings hope to many children and their families. With early identification and timely rehabilitation, these children can look forward to a life of normalcy and opportunity.”

About CMC Vellore

The Christian Medical College Vellore, located in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, is a 3,701-bed multi-speciality healthcare institution of international repute. CMC’s primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary-care hospitals are spread across the Vellore and Ranipet districts of Tamil Nadu and the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Together, we serve over 34 lakh patients every year, from around the country and South Asia, offering charitable subsidies of over Rs 400 crore.

In the field of education, CMC Vellore has consistently been ranked #3 by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. Medical, Nursing and Allied Health education is offered at CMC Vellore to over 3000 students every year, through 236 courses, at a fraction of the actual cost. Around 6010 students also benefit from Distance Education programmes. Research is a key focus with funds of over Rs 100 crore dedicated, every year, to finding locally relevant solutions to the pressing healthcare needs of today. Outreach is a central pillar of CMC’s mission, with community health programmes covering local populations of around 5 lakh and a network of 170 partner hospitals bringing vital and affordable healthcare services to rural and marginalised communities across the country.