In the year 2008, 14 local Rotary clubs of Goa and the host club of Dr Desai, Newport- Balboa RC, obtained a matching grant from Rotary International to conduct a unique project in the State of GOA. Several clubs of District 5320 also cooperated in the project. The Project was on the EARLY DETECTION OF NEWBORN HEARING LOSS AND INTERVENTION (EHDI). Interventions can include hearing aids, surgery, etc. There were only two Audiologists to evaluate 30,000 newborn births per year in Goa. A chance meeting of Dr Desai and four Rotarian Audiologists from Weymouth, Massachusetts who desired to visit India to do humanitarian work for two weeks, led to Dr Desai arranging for them to go to Goa. They were all lucky to obtain a travel grant from the Rotary International. The local Goa Rotarians provided a free home and chauffeured car These Rotarian Audiologists, in turn, trained 100+ healthcare workers on how to screen newborns for hearing loss. The Goa EHDI PROJECT is an ongoing success.

One goal of Project Deaf India was introducing EHDI to all of India. This was made a reality after Dr Desai met the ex-President of India in 2008 and requested that he introduce EHDI throughout INDIA, which has the highest incidence of deafness on the globe. His request was granted and presently India is working hard to train the needed number of ENT doctors and Audiologists to make this possible. The actual national EHDI program will begin in 2010.

Another goal of Project Deaf India achieved this year was to include comprehensive Measles and Rubella vaccination in the national Vaccination Plan of India.  Thanks to International agencies such as UNICEF, WHO and the CDC, along with Government of India the vaccination plan was started in all of INDIA this year. When the Nation is vaccinated, the incidence of DEAFNESS WILL BE DRASTICALLY REDUCED.

Washington, Jan 19 (IANS) When Barack Obama takes oath as America’s first black president Tuesday, no Indian American will be happier than the first Fulbright Fellow from India, Rajendra Desai, who describes Obama as “the greatest change God has granted America”.

“I was considered to be a black man and forced to sit with blacks in bus and restaurants in the early 1950s,” 85-year-old Desai told IANS on phone from his home in New Port Beach in California.

Recalling that incident in 1953 at Oak Ridge in the racially segregated state of Tennessee, the first Indian to become a cancer specialist in the US said: “I experienced first-hand what it meant to be a black man in the 1950s America. This happened to me when as a young doctor I was sent from Boston for training at the Institute of Nuclear Medicine in Oak Ridge.

“Whites in small-town America had never seen an Indian at that time. Oak Ridge had a population of 40,000. It was the centre where the Americans were perfecting the science of nuclear bombs.

“I was there for four weeks, and treated like any other black. The very first day, the driver of the local bus told me: `You nigger. You have to sit at the back’.”

The treatment was no different in city restaurants, said Desai, who was the first Indian doctor to get the Fulbright Fellowship in 1952.

“I was forced to sit in the back and made to eat with other blacks. This was the story all over small-town America. They were mostly illiterate people and they treated me as they treated blacks,” he said.

“I was a follower of Gandhi and practised tolerance in the face of humiliation. And what else could one do? My job was to learn nuclear medicine and get out of that town. So I kept my (mouth) shut,” said Desai who later founded the Indian Medical Association of Southern California.

Looking back at his experience as a `black man’ 55 years ago on the eve of Obama’s oath, Desai said: “Obama is the greatest change God has granted America. It is a dynamic society which has learnt quickly from its past and put the best man in the top position.”

He added: “Obama is a great intelligent man who will take America to new heights. Look at the accomplishments of this young man and his equally brilliant wife. They are the most brilliant and talented couple in this country today.”

However, Desai, who runs the multi-million Project Deaf in India to eradicate deafness, said he has his fears too.

“I am worried about some mad thing happening to him. I hope that no attempt is made to harm him. That is my prayer. With Obama at the helm, the American dream is alive and thriving.”

Dr. Raj Desai, a member of the Newport Balboa Rotary Club, District 5320 and Chairman of Project Deaf India was invited to give two keynote addresses by the District Governors of District 3050 and 3060 in India. The annual district conferences were held in the state of Gujarat and at  the cities of Ahmedabad and Bhuj on December 28 and 30,2007.

Attendance at the District Conferences numbered 2000 to 3000 Rotarians at each. The venue of the conference is held in a large football sized open area decorated by a beautiful tent and large stage. In addition to the usual Rotary speeches, 4-5 GUEST speakers from the local area are invited guest speakers and a representative of the Rotary International Presidents Representative from India.  Dr. Desai was the only speaker from a foreign country with the opportunity to create an awareness of his goals of Project Deaf India.

Dr. Desai had good news to share on the progress of the Pune Rubella vaccination program for teenage girls. A total of 200,000 girls are in the process of being vaccinated and should be completed by the end of March 2008. A second project of Early Detection of Newborn Deafness and Intervention will begin in April 2008 in Goa.

 Thank you YouTube.com for putting up our video! Here is the Silent Village Documentary 5:15 Minutes

Deafness is one of the commonest congenital disabilities in the world. It is estimated to be 30 times more common than other congenital defects, such as sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, hypothyroidism, etc.

As reported by WHO, there are about 250-300 million deaf people in this world, 2/3 of them live in the underdeveloped nations, of these India has the largest share.

From a recent report in the India’s leading daily newspaper, The Times of India, Jan 23, 2007;

“That one out of twelve (1/12) persons in India has hearing loss. The problem is receiving political attention. The health ministry has launched its project to focus on The Prevention and Early diagnosis of deafness and not the least, treatment of ear infections and other diseases causing hearing loss ………”

This campaign was introduced at the end of Jan 2007 in 25 districts and 12 states of India.

If the above is implemented by the Health Dept., i.e. MMR vaccination and early detection of Newborn Hearing loss and intervention (EHDI), India will have a great reduction in Deafness, Blindness and other congenital defects within 10 years.

EHDI will also result in the marked improvement of the EDUCATION of the child with hearing loss, along with the treatment of the Deaf, providing them with hearing aids and other treatments as indicated.

As the subject of Deafness and prevention is so large, including the care of the ear and ear infections, Project Deaf India plans to focus on:

1) MMR vaccination to reduce Deafness and Rubella vaccination to prevent CRS syndrome (congenital Rubella syndrome) in their offspring.

2) EHDI= early detection of newborn Hearing loss and Intervention. During the past few years, accurate computerized equipment for newborn screening is available.

MMR Vaccination for India:

The introduction of MMR vaccination in developing nations results in definite benefits—A great reduction in deafness, blindness and other congenital defects.  MMR vaccination is given in two doses, the first at 12 months and the second dose at 4-5yrs of age, before entering school.

Early Newborn Screening of Hearing Loss and Intervention (EHDI):

Historically, EHDI was implemented in the USA, by Dr. Marion Downs, as early as 1964. Dr. Karl White and others made it a universal project since 1994 and pushed for mandatory legislation throughout the USA.

Why is the Early detection of Hearing Loss so Important?
Initially, babies who are born with hearing loss do not look or behave any differently from babies who are hearing.  However, undetected and untreated hearing loss has serious consequences on the acquisition of language skills as well as cognition and emotional and social development. Deafness separates people from people. The first 6 months of a baby’s life are very crucial for the development of speech and language.   Evidence shows that to be most beneficial, screenings should be done before discharge from hospital with diagnostic evaluation completed by 3 months of age. Intervention should be started by 6 months of age.

According to Kalyani, a Pune audiologist, these screenings can be synchronized with the national vaccination plan of India.  Infants identified with hearing loss can be fitted with amplification devices (hearing aids) as early as one month of age.  These children can then attend mainstream schools.

There is tremendous financial liability to society if the hearing impairments are untreated and undetected.

How can Newborn hearing be checked?
As a result of advances in technology, a newborns hearing can be checked shortly after birth. There are two main techniques for screening hearing in newborns: AABR (automated auditory brainstem response) or OAE (evoked oto-acoustic emission).  Both these methods are safe, simple and painless.  It takes only a few minutes to complete a screening.

In India, EHDI is being implemented in Mumbai, Chennai, Mysore, Trivandrum and now Goa. It should be started in all cities and villages in India.  It is the villages, where most of the population of India resides, EHDI is best coordinated under the national immunization plans for India.  In developed countries, every hospital has a screening machine for newborn hearing loss detection before the mother and baby are discharged from hospital.  The screening machine is a small handheld, battery-operated machine kept in the nursery.

For India, where the mother and child are kept in hospital for 5-7 days after delivery, we have introduced a screening method suited to the country.  Namely, and audiologist or Anganwadi health worker trained in the screening of newborns transports the screening unit from hospital to hospital for screening (the unit is the size of a laptop computer).  This way he can screen about 100 babies a day.  Those who fail the test are then referred to an ENT doctor for further confirmation of hearing loss and treatment; surgery, hearing aids, or cochlear implants.

India has a great shortage of audiologists and more so of pediatric audiologists, however an Anganwadi health worker can help fill this gap.

Suggestions for Improvement of Deafness in Gujarat:

The state of Gujarat has about 60 million people, with most of this population residing in villages, with agriculture as their livelihood.  They have fewer facilities of the modern lifestyle, medical/hospitals, schools, pure water & better hygiene and sanitation.  It is estimated that deafness is diagnosed at 4-6 years of age, resulting in the loss of the ability to learn language or communication skills.  The child is called DEAF AND DUMB.  No special deaf educational facilities are available in the villages. The deaf child lives an isolated life, does menial jobs or is given to an orphanage.  In the cities the deaf often beg on the streets.

If Gujarat’s female population is vaccinated with Rubella or MMR (measles, mumps and Rubella) vaccine then deafness and blindness can be drastically reduced, (50% reduction!).

In India, both vaccines are locally produced in Pune, and are available for Rs 30 for Rubella and Rs 50 for MMR per vaccine. Although,  it is most desirable that the National or State Governments take the responsibility for vaccination, an alternative is that we, as Rotarians undertake the task and achieve success, as we have done for Polio.

It is my desire that all Rotary Clubs of Districts 3050 & 3060 combine their efforts and apply for a 3H Grant from Rotary International.  I will also seek the cooperation of several clubs in my District in the USA (District 5320).

The realization of the above projects (vaccination and EHDI) in Gujarat will be an example for the rest of India for the reduction and intervention of deafness.

“EVERY CHILD  MUST BE ENSURED THE BEST START IN LIFE—THEIR FUTURE, AND INDEED THE FUTURE OF THEIR COMMUNITES, NATIONS AND THE WHOLE WORLD DEPENDS ON IT”

UNICEF

Far too many Indians suffer from hearing problems without receiving proper treatment. The Union Health Ministry of India has launched a national project focusing on hearing loss. The aim is to promote prevention and treatment.

At least one Indian in 12 suffers from hearing loss. The problem is receiving considerable political attention. The Health Ministry launched its project to focus on prevention, early diagnosis and, not least, treatment of ear infections and other diseases causing hearing loss.

The campaign was introduced at the end of January, 2007, in 25 districts in 12 Indian states.

As part of the project, the aim is to have one ear-, nose- and throat specialist, one audiologist and two additional medical doctors associated with each public and private hospital in the 25 districts. Each hospital will open an ear-, nose- and throat department.

Timely detection important 

According to experts, 50 percent of the cases of hearing loss can be prevented through early intervention. One aim of the project is to provide early detection of hearing loss and reduce the current 6.3 percent prevalence in the Indian population of progressive or acute hearing loss.

The most common types of hearing loss in India include perforated eardrum and age related hearing loss (presbyacusis).

   A VISION FOR INDIA – Article in Hearing Health(CLICK HERE)

The success of achieving the Matching Grant is due to cooperation of Director of Intnl services, of NP Balboa rotary club, Dan Hoffman, and partnership and financial contribution of District 5320 rotary clubs such as  Avalon, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, and Norwalk.

Write up of the Rubella vaccination program in India by Joint MG (Click) 
Color photo of school girls sitting to be vaccinated (Click)
One where a woman doctor is actually giving vaccination.(Click)
Large letter artcle “PUNE news line”   titled: Free Rubella vaccination which mentions both Cubs and district.(Click)
REMARKABLE PROGRESS BY PROJECT DEAF INDIA IN YEAR 2006(Click)
PROJECT DEAF INDIA EXPANDS FOCUS(Click)
BRIEF SUMMARY OF DR DESAI’S VISIT TO INDIA 2005 AND ATTENDANCE TO CENTENNIAL CHICAGO ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION(Click)
Project Deaf India Letter(Click)
Hearing Health Article Page One(Click) (no file)
Hearing Health Article Page Two(Click)
Lake Como meeting in Italy(Click)
News Article in India-West Newspaper about Project Deaf India(Click)
Download a Video!!(8mb)(Click)
Trip to India(Click)

Rotary Donates Books for Deaf(Click)
Rotary Gives Gift to Deaf Children(Click)
Souvenir article at the Key note address given to Ahmedabad District Rotary 3050 annual conference”"