During a celebration marking 20 years of cochlear implantation at PGIMER’s department of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, patients shared their experiences, highlighting how implants had helped them lead normal lives.

Over the past two decades, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has provided cochlear implants to around 600 patients, primarily children.

A cochlear implant, costing between ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh, is like a tiny chip that changes sound signals into electrical signals, which then stimulate the auditory nerve in the ear.

Testimonials from the beneficiaries of these implants underscored the profound metamorphosis in their quality of life, adding a poignant dimension to the proceedings.

For Patiala resident Kamaldeep, when his son Ranveer was diagnosed with hearing impairment just 15 days after his birth four years ago, it became a harrowing situation. He went to many temples and prayed for Ranveer’s well-being. The infant was eventually referred to PGIMER, where, after all investigative tests, he got a cochlear implant.

Krishna Kaushal, father of a 11-year-old Sabhyaraj, a Class 6 student at a Pathankot school, shared that his son had hearing difficulties since birth. With the help of a cochlear implant, life became better and easier for Sabhyaraj. The implant costed them around ₹5 lakh.

Robin Singh, a 14-year-old from Rupnagar, said he had been facing hearing issues since birth. His family invested around ₹20 lakh in a cochlear implant for him. Even since, his life has improved significantly.

Head of the ENT department at PGIMER, Dr Naresh K Panda remarked, “Our department takes immense pride in its two-decade-long leadership in cochlear implantation. Through our team’s unwavering commitment to innovation, research and patient-centric care, we have bestowed the gift of hearing to over 600 children and adults.”