Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A universal newborn hearing screening program was introduced as part of the GNWT’s Early Childhood Development Action Plan, 2001-2004. Stanton, the audiology department there has been delivering the universal newborn hearing screening program since June 2004, which is called the IHP, or the Infant Hearing Program.
This program is delivered at all birthing centres in the Northwest Territories and aims to identify infants with permanent hearing loss by the time they’re three months old and provide the necessary services to support communication development by the time they’re six months of age.
Since beginning the IHP, more than 3,650 newborn babies have been screened for hearing loss, and this is as of March 31, 2013. Since 2005, the IHP has tracked outcomes and produced an annual outcome indicator report.
As indicated, in addition to the IHP, children are screened for hearing impairments during routine development screening or the well-baby clinics throughout the Northwest Territories. So, currently all babies in the Northwest Territories have access to screening for hearing loss or difficulties in the Northwest Territories. All babies. Thank you.