NUS Medicine students bring hearing care to Cambodian villagers
Published: 03 Jan 2025
Students from Project Battambang and WS Audiology conduct an audiology assessment. Credit: Project Battambang
NUS Medicine students and WS Audiology, a global leader in the hearing aid industry, collaborate on Project Battambang to conduct screenings for hearing loss and donate hearing aids to villagers in Poipet, Cambodia.
Poipet is one of the country’s most underserved regions beset by significant health challenges–including hearing loss. The recent initiative that took place in December 2024 involved 28 Year 1 and Year 2 students from NUS Medicine and enabled more than 600 villagers to receive vital health screenings that for the first time included professional hearing assessments.
As part of this collaboration, WS Audiology also donated 250 hearing aids to the project, ensuring that villagers identified with hearing loss could receive the necessary devices. Between 5 and 10% of the villagers were found to suffer from some form of hearing loss that would not otherwise have been diagnosed or treated. Over 85% of these affected villagers were successfully fitted with hearing aids, allowing them to hear clearly for the first time in years.
Students from Project Battambang and Cambodian volunteers triage the villagers. Credit: Project Battambang
A Cambodian volunteer conducts Snellen’s test with a villager to assess her visual acuity. Credit: Project Battambang
Distribution of medications at the pharmacy set up by Project Battambang. Credit: Project Battambang
A physiotherapist demonstrates and carries out exercises with a villager. Credit: Project Battambang
A doctor joining Project Battambang provides free consults for the villagers. Credit: Project Battambang
A registered nurse and a Cambodian villager triage villagers. Credit: Project Battambang
A 71-year-old villager undergoes hearing tests to receive a hearing aid tailored to him. Credit: Project Battambang
Lim Yu En, one of two Project Battambang Project Directors, and a Year 2 student at NUS Medicine, said, “We learned that true healthcare goes beyond medical treatment. It’s about addressing the root causes of health issues, such as access to clean water and education. By taking a holistic approach, we can create lasting change.”
“Through Project Battambang, our students are gaining invaluable insights into becoming compassionate doctors. Importantly, they are learning that improving the health of communities extends beyond medical care; it involves improving the economic and social conditions in which people live and work, as these factors influence health outcomes,” remarked Associate Professor Marion Aw, Vice-Dean (Office for Students), NUS Medicine.
Read more in the press release here.
