News from alumnus - increasing access to services in rural communities

Sakhile established a new service site in a deep rural community. It is a center for early childhood development (0- 5 years), started by an NGO which requested assistance where possible. “At the moment we are doing hearing screenings and hearing monitoring bi-annually and also using the intervention guide, Language Enrichment Program for Infants and Young Children to educate the caretakers and caregivers. We also implemented the guide within our hospital newborn hearing screening program and it yields good outcomes. We hear a lot of success stories from caregivers.”

Sakhile further reflects on his learning at the University of Pretoria, “I am grateful for the KMP early intervention module which prepared me to deliver a holistic service to the community, especially in a rural community where you don't have the luxury of using audiology equipment and you cannot only focus on audiology as it is practiced in urban areas. All you have here are the basics and that is where I saw the KMP module falling into picture in my day-to-day practice. I am able to advocate actively for these children who are developmentally delayed. I am the first line of contact for help before they reach a speech-language therapist who is probably 150km away from them.”

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Sakhile Nkosi is an audiology alumnus from the Department of Speech-Language  Pathology and Audiology at the University of Pretoria. He is currently working for the Department of Health in Mpumalanga, South Africa. He also managed the portfolio of Public Health for the South African Association of Audiologists.