2017, the preparatory year of the EUSCREEN project, ended to be finalized with the beginning of hearing screening in the four selected maternity hospitals, Tirana, Kukës, and Pogradec.
The preparatory phase included intensive meetings between all partners, including the leaders of the international consortium, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the relevant institutions that play different roles in this project. Educational and training materials were developed, including posters, brochures, etc., and a series of training sessions were held with the healthcare staff in the respective regions and in Tirana, combining the provision of theoretical information with practical sessions for the correct use of screening equipment. During 2017, 4 training rounds were held, of which the first three, respectively in each zone, aimed at informing and raising awareness of healthcare personnel about screening, early detection, and rehabilitation of hearing loss. 118 doctors and midwives/nurses participated in these trainings, all accredited by QKEV.
The second course of training, the theoretical-practical one, also accredited by QKEV, prepared the personnel and administrators who would be involved in field screening. The entire training process was carried out by faculty members of the Faculty of Medicine, UMT under the UMT logo and in close cooperation with ASHRs and maternity hospitals in the regions.
The maternity hospitals of Tirana, Kukës, and Pogradec have been equipped with the necessary devices and consumables required for conducting tests according to the established protocol. These devices, at the end of the project, will be donated to the above-mentioned institutions.
Since January 1, 2018, hearing screening for newborns began in the selected maternity hospitals for the study. The creation of the most advanced audiometry cabinet in the country was enabled at the University Clinical Center “Mother Teresa” (QSUT), which meets all standards for the final diagnosis of hearing impairment, a cabinet which during the project duration will also be used for other patients and will remain part of QSUT's infrastructure even after the project's completion. In addition, all screening equipment will be transferred under the administration of QSUT after the project ends, providing added value to it and concrete benefits for QSUT and UMT.
The final aim of the project in Albania is the inclusion of hearing screening at birth in the protocol of routine services offered to newborns, as the most cost-effective intervention for addressing these issues and with maximum benefit for patients and society.
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