2024-10-28
24 分钟Discussion keeps the world turning.
This is Round Table.
Imagine a world without sound.
No laughter, no music.
Cochlear implants are increasingly now covered by insurance in China, and this can transform lives for millions.
Let's explore the impact of this change in healthcare policy, and we're on a mission of starting your week with a motivational kick.
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Hello, everybody.
This is Roundtable coming to you live from Beijing.
I am He Yang, and for today's program, I'm happily joined by Yu Shun and Steve Hatherly in the studio.
First, on today's show.
With approximately 27.8 million individuals living with hearing disabilities in China, the financial burden of cochlear implantation has often been a deterrent for many patients.
The recent policy change to include cochlear implants in insurance coverage represents a significant step towards improving access to effective treatments.
What implications do you believe this will have on the lives of those affected by hearing loss?
For those of us who are not that familiar with medical terms, please explain what is cochlear implant or ren gong, or in Chinese?
Yes.
So a cochlear implant is an electronic device that helps restore hearing.
And it works by using an external speech processor to convert sound into electrical signals, which are then sent to the auditory nerve.
And these signals stimulate the auditory nerves, transmitting bioelectric impulses to the brain, allowing us to perceive sound.
And by directly stimulating the auditory nerve through implanted electrodes, the device helps restore or rebuild the hearing function in individuals with severe hearing loss.