PA/29/11 29 July 2011
From the Office of the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr
THE GIFT OF HEARING: AUSTRALIA’S MINISTER FOR INNOVATION VISITS COCHLEAR IMPLANT UNIT IN DELHI
Hundreds of Indian adults and children have been given the gift of hearing thanks to world-leading Cochlear implant technology, developed in Australia.
Visiting the Cochlear Implant Unit at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said Australia had a proud history in research and he was pleased the benefits were flowing to countries around the world.
“The ground-breaking bionic ear technology developed by Australian company Cochlear Limited has helped bring sound to over 200,000 severely or profoundly deaf people world-wide," Senator Carr said.
"At the Cochlear Implant Unit, Australian technology is helping Indian doctors identify which babies could benefit the most from a cochlear implant, rather than other treatments. This is important because the earlier children are fitted with hearing aids the better.
“Research has shown us that early exposure to sound helps babies develop the connections in the brain that enable them to understand the sounds around them for the rest of their life.”
The Cochlear implant helps hearing-impaired people who are unable to benefit from traditional hearing aids. It is manufactured largely in Australia and exports make up 95 per cent of its sales. Today, the Cochlear implant is transforming the lives of people all over the world.
Senator Carr highlighted the great research partnership Australia and India have, saying the countries had a lot to offer each other.
“That is why we developed the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund. The Australian Government has proudly invested $65 million in this Fund and our contribution has been matched by the Government of India,” Senator Carr said.
“We know that both nations can maximise the value of their research investments by pooling funding and sharing skills, equipment and facilities. This will help us tackle shared challenges such as climate change and disease.”
The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund is powering innovation collaboration in critical areas like oncology, marine science, agriculture, water management and nanotechnology. For more information on the Fund, visit: www.innovation.gov.au/AISRF.
Media contacts: Minister's Office, 02 6277 7580
Mary Finlay, Department, +61 0412 975 286/+61 2 6213 6151