Leibniz Lab for Relational Communication Research News and Events News
Training event on “hearing impairment” in Tanzania

Training event on “hearing impairment” in Tanzania

Answers of the participants to the question “What is your “Take-Home-Message” after the training?” regarding day 1 and 2 of the event (© Meike Albrecht, evaluation with Mentimeter).

Successful tandem event with international collaboration partners!

From 29th June till 2nd August 2021, the combined training event on “hearing impairment” took place in our long-term project partner institutions Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The event was organized by Meike Albrecht and Louisa Johanningmeier (both Leibniz University of Hannover) in close cooperation with Dr. Enica Richard (MUHAS).

Under the umbrella of the project “SpeechBase – Speech, Language and Hearing Resources for Subsaharan Africa”, the participants of the training received insight into the field of hearing impairment in Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and worldwide, and therapeutic approaches regarding hearing aids and Cochlear Implants. Additionally, the project “HEAR Africa! – Extending Life and Education Opportunities for Hearing-Impaired Children in Tanzania” was presented and first results of its pilot study concerning infant hearing impairment were reported and discussed. The afternoons were dedicated to discuss the development of an SLT curriculum for the Tanzanian partner universities with international and local experts.

During the second half of the event, staff (both advanced and beginners) was trained to conduct Universal Newborn Hearing Screenings (UNHS). With their skills, they contribute to the nationwide expansion of UNHS and to the examination of prevalence, comorbidities and risk factors for infant hearing impairment in Tanzania.

Both projects are under the leadership of Prof. Dr. habil. Ulrike Lüdtke (IfS) and are based on long-term project partnerships with Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), and Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University (SEKOMU) (all SpeechBase & HEAR Africa!), and Kenyatta University (KU) and University of Pretoria (UP) (both SpeechBase).

Our warmest thanks go out to all lecturers and participants form Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa and Germany for the interesting insights into the field of hearing impairment and the fruitful discussions. We are especially grateful for the kind introducing words of Prof. Projestine Muganyizi, Dean of the School of Medicine of MUHAS, for the great effort of Dr. Enica Richard to carry out this event in Tanzania, and Mr. Pius Victor Msekwa for his technical and organizational support!