Qatar Charity (QC) has launched a cochlear implant programme for children at Doha Hospital in Khartoum, marking the resumption of this specialised service in Sudan for the first time since the outbreak of the war.
The launch ceremony was attended by Sudan’s federal minister of health, the governor of Khartoum State, and the ambassador of Qatar to Sudan, alongside health and humanitarian officials.
Sudan’s Federal Minister of Health Dr Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim said that the restoration of cochlear implant services represents an important milestone in rebuilding specialised healthcare in Khartoum.
“Restoring cochlear implant services in Sudan is not an ordinary event, but a major achievement and a milestone in the return of specialised services in Khartoum,” he said.
Dr Ibrahim said that the resumption of the service reflects renewed support for Sudan’s health sector at a critical time.
Khartoum Governor Ahmed Osman Hamza thanked Qatar, its government and people, and supporting organisations for their assistance to Khartoum State and Sudan more broadly.
He said that the programme will provide an important service for families in need of specialised hearing care.
Qatar’s ambassador to Sudan Mohammed Ibrahim al-Sada said that the programme reflects Qatar’s continued commitment to supporting the Sudanese people.
He noted that Qatar-backed medical campaigns and camps have been launched in several Sudanese states, including initiatives in ophthalmology and urology, with further programmes planned in co-ordination with the federal health ministry.
Dr Abdul Majeed al-Humaidi, the QC’s international programmes and development expert, said that the initiative aims to help children access sound, communication, education, and social integration.
“We are certain that investing in children’s health is an investment in the future of an entire nation,” he said.
Dr Ibrahim Ali Omar, acting director of Doha Specialised Hospital, said that 300 children had applied for electronic cochlear implant surgery, while 10 operations are planned under the programme.
He said that the statistics underscore the need for additional support to expand access for children for whom hearing aids are no longer sufficient, particularly as many families cannot afford the high cost of the procedure.
The cochlear implant programme builds on Qatar Charity’s recent specialised health initiatives in Sudan.
These include four eye-care and surgery camps that examined 6,000 people with visual impairments and performed 600 operations in co-operation with Makkah Hospital in Port Sudan, Sennar, Wad Madani, and River Nile State.
The QC also conducted a medical camp for children with congenital heart conditions at Madani Heart Centre, where 60 procedures were performed through cardiac catheterisation and open-heart surgery.
In addition, it has supplied hospitals with medical equipment and materials, including kidney dialysis machines, laboratory equipment, intensive care devices, and neonatal incubators, with support from donors in Qatar.
