Georgia expands cochlear implant program for young children

Georgia’s Ministry of Health has announced an expansion of the state-funded cochlear implantation program under the Universal Healthcare Program, making bilateral cochlear implantation available to children under the age of four.

The changes were discussed during a meeting between Health Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze, representatives of the Georgian Association of Otorhinolaryngologists, and medical specialists in the field. Participants reviewed the planned amendments to the program and implementation measures.

According to the ministry, the expansion is expected to significantly improve developmental outcomes, speech acquisition, and social integration for children with severe hearing loss. Officials emphasized that restoring hearing at an early age is particularly important for a child’s cognitive and language development.

The ministry also confirmed that funding for unilateral cochlear implantation will continue and will remain available to patients of all ages who meet the relevant medical criteria.

In addition, the state program will continue to cover essential post-implant rehabilitation services and therapy, aimed at supporting patients’ recovery and improving long-term treatment outcomes.

The Ministry of Health stated that the expanded program is designed to provide broader access to advanced hearing restoration services and enhance the quality of care for individuals with significant hearing impairment.