KUCHING (Dec 11): Serian Hospital has received an Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) machine from the Community Care Enrichment Programme (CCEP) to support its Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) programme.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Sarawak Health Department (JKNS) said the contribution would strengthen the hospital’s capacity to conduct early hearing screening for newborns, allowing potential hearing issues to be detected and managed promptly.

JKNS said the initiative is crucial as early detection helps prevent delays in a child’s language development and learning.

In conjunction with the handover ceremony, a Training of Trainers (ToT) course and UNHS training session were conducted for nurses and community nurses to familiarise them with the use of the OAE machine and ensure screenings are carried out in accordance with national guidelines.

JKNS expressed its appreciation for the support shown by CCEP, and encouraged parents to ensure their newborns undergo the quick and painless screening before being discharged.

Meanwhile, CCEP Foundation president Yee Poo Yoon said Serian Hospital is the first in Sarawak to receive the device from the foundation.

She said the OAE machine plays a critical role in early hearing screening to identify congenital issues and enable timely intervention.

“There are many cases where babies are only found to have hearing problems at two or three years old.

“By then, even with assessment and hearing aids, sometimes the aids cannot help anymore ― it is already too late,” she said.

Yee added that the foundation plans to donate similar machines to two more hospitals in the state — Bau Hospital and Simunjan Hospital.