The Education Bureau (EDB) today (January 11) announced a collaboration arrangement with the Hospital Authority (HA) to provide hearing aids and fitting services for children and students with hearing impairment (HI).
A spokesman for the EDB said that the Bureau attached great importance to the provision of hearing aids and related audiological services to children and students with HI. Since there were no service providers that fulfilled the tender requirements this school year, the Bureau has taken contingency measures aimed at resuming the provision of hearing aids and related services for those children and students through various channels as soon as possible.
The spokesman said, "We are grateful to the HA for their assistance. A consensus has been reached between the two parties. Starting from next week, the audiologists of the EDB will use the audiology centre of the HA to provide hearing aid fitting and related services for children and students newly diagnosed with HI."
"In addition, since last week, the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf has been offering hearing aid fitting services to children and students whose hearing aids are provided by the EDB."
The number of new cases involved is around 40. Around 1 100 children and students who have been offered hearing aids and related services before the 2018/19 school year will continue to receive follow-up services from the original service provider according to the terms of the contract; hence they will not be affected.
The EDB will continue to explore feasible long-term options in order to improve the related services for children and students with HI.
Follow this news feed: East Asia