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10/24/2016  |   10:30 AM - 11:30 AM   |  BGPOP Building 402/403/404

Development, Not Charity: Helping Established Local Organizations Develop Their Own Hearing Health Programs

Himalayan Health and Hearing began with a favour: providing a hearing test and hearing aid to an elderly monk at Kopan monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. Since 2009, this favour has grown to become a formally recognized organization whose purpose is to help established local organizations, in Nepal and the wider Himalayan region, develop their own hearing health programs. Our role is one of collaboration with local communities and organizations. We help identify areas of need and existing local resources (human and physical); we help provide training and mentorship to local staff and volunteers; and we help raise funds and facilitate resource development, including supplies of hearing aids, assessment and fitting equipment, medications, and facilities. Our goal is to ultimately be involved in a purely advisory/supportive capacity. Through our partner organization NAHOH and collaboration with Shechen Clinic and Hospice in Kathmandu, and the Community Family Welfare Association in Dhanusha, our program has helped provide primary ear care to over 12,000 people, and fitted over 1000 hearing aids/assistive devices since 2010, whilst ensuring that appropriate support and maintenance is available. These and future partnerships are the means by which the program will succeed and continue. Our presentation explores the valuable insights we have gained over this time, with the following focusses: the need for cultural awareness and sensitivity; effective identification of areas of need; local community involvement and ownership; practical planning for remote areas, including considerations of weather, access, power, shelter, transportation, team safety and support while on camps; identification and training of key support volunteers within each community visited; developing a three-fold program of hearing health awareness and education, primary ear care and hearing rehabilitation; training of specialist workers with the skills to provide an ongoing, quality service; and recognizing our limitations while pushing the boundaries.

• Comprehend the necessity to empower existing local organisations to deliver safe and appropriate ear care and rehabilitation without discrimination or offence to culture.
• Recognise the need to train local members of each community to competently deliver the services offered.
• Develop a clear awareness of the need for a long term commitment of trust and friendship, such that a sustainable program matures, aware too, of the consequences of “knowledge is power”.

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lew tuck (Primary Presenter), Himalayan Health & Hearing Inc., info@himalayanhealthandhearing.org;
lew tuck is trained as a marine engineer and audiometrist. With his wife Sue, an audiologist, he runs Whitsunday Hearing, a private hearing aid practice in the Whitsunday area of Queensland, Australia. Together they started the charity Himalayan Health & Hearing in 2010 and lew now devotes himself full-time to developing the hearing programs in Nepal and the wider Himalayan region. He is a Member of the Institution of Engineers Australia, Member of the AIMPE (Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers) and an Affiliate of ACAud (Australian College of Audiology). He is passionate about his role as “postman” – delivering the kindness of others to those in need, guided by the principles of compassion and equanimity.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Kunzang ANGMO (Co-Presenter), Himalayan Health & Hearing Inc., angmo@himalayanhealthandhearing.org;
Angmo has a BA (Hons) in Political Science and has been trained in basic audiometry and hearing aid fitting and maintenance Angmo was born in the Ladakh region and wishes to make it her home. She is well equipped to assist the establishment of a permanent hearing care site in the local Nunnery, liaising with and coordinating all parties concerned. Angmo will be further trained in Nepal, and will seek to establish ways in which CGHH and HH&H can assist each other for the common good.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.