Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

The Department of Health (DOH) announced that it will expand the program subsidizing hearing tests for newborns starting June 1. Under the revised policy, newborns whose parents are registered Taipei City resident will also be eligible for free examination.
According to DOH, the number of medical institutions participating in the program increased from 23 to 33. Babies born at participating hospitals are eligible for free hearing screening test. Babies born at other locations can also receive free screening at designated outpatient clinics of Taipei City Hospital within a week of their birth.
Research show that babies with minor or moderate hearing impediments have a good chance at learning to speak and developing cognitive abilities equivalent to their peers with early detection and treatment before reaching 6-month old. DOH pointed out that most European nations and the United States have already implemented hearing screening tests for all newborns.
City agencies have carried out trials for the expanded project between September 5, 2009 and April 30, 2010. During this period, participating clinics performed free screening test on 3,582 recipients, with screening rate for hearing impediments reaching 99 percent. The positive response encouraged DOH to launch the expanded service on June 1.
For more information about the free screening, please call the 1999 Citizens Hotline.