Airports Authority of India signed an MoA with Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) on 31st July, 2018 for conducting Cochlear Implant surgeries of 200 Hearing Impaired Underprivileged Children under the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of AAI at a cost of Rs.13.41 crores The MoA was signed by Shri Sanjeev Jindal, General Manager (Engg. & CSR), AAI and Shri D. R. Sarin, CMD, ALIMCO in presence of Shri. Anuj Aggarwal – Member (HR) and other officials of AAI at AAI Headquarters, Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, New Delhi.
This is a major CSR initiative of AAI which will help the children to completely overcome their hearing disability, thereby enabling them to hear and speak coherently. AAI has already sponsored 115 Cochlear Implants previous years under its CSR initiative. In view of the overwhelming response and successful results in the past, AAI decided to double the number of Children this year. Two hundred hearing impaired children belonging to poor families will get the benefit of this initiative and will become fully independent to lead a normal and productive life. This effort will not only bring these underprivileged children to the mainstream society but will also contribute towards national economy by making them a productive workforce.
Cochlear Implant is a Prosthetic device surgically implanted inside the cochlea of brain which is beneficial for children with severe to profound hearing loss. Children between the age bracket of 12 months to 6 years with hearing impairment are eligible for a cochlear implant. Under this MoA, AAI will sponsor Cochlear Implants surgeries for 200 Hearing Impaired children through ALIMCO. An estimate shows that more than 10,000 children in India are born with congenital hearing loss and require Cochlear Implant annually.
AAI will stay committed for socio-economic development and bringing change in the life of under-privileged communities evolving them to the party of the sustainable development.