Elaine
Yuko, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at KNH, during a press briefing on February 25, 2026. /TIMON OTIENO
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has
pledged to finance rehabilitation services for 50 children who recently
underwent cochlear implant surgery.
The initiative offers renewed hope to families and
marks a major step in restoring hearing among children with profound hearing loss.
The commitment started early January this year following a major surgical initiative in November 2025, where the children
received cochlear implants donated by Morocco’s Princess Lalla Asmaa
Foundation. The surgeries were successfully conducted at the hospital, paving
the way for the next critical phase that is rehabilitation.
Elaine Yuko, an ear, nose and throat
surgeon at KNH, said
that, while the implants were donated and surgeries
covered, the hospital has stepped in to ensure the children complete the
recovery journey.
“Lala Asmaa gave the
donation of the implants,
and the surgeries were paid for under SHA. Now for the rehabilitation, Kenyatta
National Hospital has had to take care of that cost for now. This is a special
situation where the hospital has decided to take care of the cost of
rehabilitative services,” said Yuko.
A cochlear implant put on a child to aid in hearing. /TIMON OTIENO
A cochlear implant is a surgically placed
electronic device that enables children with severe hearing loss to perceive
sound. The procedure involves inserting an electrode into the inner ear, which
transmits sound signals directly to the brain.
“The device is implanted through surgery
where we drill the bone and place an electrode that connects to the cochlear
and transmits sound to the brain,” Dr Yuko explained.
“Another part is placed
under the skin with a magnet, which communicates with an external device worn
outside. This is what allows the children to hear.”
However, hearing does not begin immediately
after surgery. Doctors must first allow time for healing before activating the
device.
“In January, in collaboration with the
cochlear company, we had the devices switched on and began the calibration
process,” she said. “When it is switched on, you observe whether the child
responds to sound and then begin teaching them what those sounds mean.”
Cochlear implant beneficiaries pose for a photo with local and international partners during International Cochlear Implant Day on February 25, 2026. /TIMON OTIENO
Following activation, the children must
undergo speech therapy, which is a key part of rehabilitation and can last up
to a year or longer.
“In speech therapy, they are learning how
to speak again,” she said. “Those who had lost hearing after learning to speak
progress faster, but those who never learned speech must start from the
beginning, and that can take quite a while.”
The hospital’s decision to fund
rehabilitation ensures the children receive the consistent therapy needed to
develop listening and speaking skills.
Yuko said that rehabilitation is as important as the surgery itself, as it trains
the brain to interpret sound and develop language.
For the 50 children and their families, the
support from Kenyatta National Hospital represents not just access to sound but the chance to communicate, learn and live more independent lives.