Dialog reaches deaf and blind

A state-of-the-art laboratory for hearing impaired at Deaf and Blind school, Ratmalana will be set up by the country's premier mobile service provider Dialog GSM to mark its achievement of reaching over one million customers.

The foundation stone for the construction of the Rs 2.5-million project will be laid by Bishop of colombo Most Rev Duleep de Chikera, Dialog GSM Chief Executive Dr Hans Wijesuriya and school principal S Wijesinghe today (28) at the school premises.

"Dialog GSM has been a long-standing contributor and well-wisher for Deaf and Blind school Ratmalana via its charitable arm, the Change Trust Fund for the last three years. The project would be one of the regional centers with state - of the - art technology in bringing new life for those impaired with less or no hearing skills," said CEO Dr Wijesuriya.

Early detection of hearing impairment of infants, digitally detection system and post therapy rehabilitation using technology are the unique features found in this centre.

"Today Dialog GSM provides 'voice' for over one million. One out of twenty Sri Lankans carries a Dialog mobile device for their communication purposes. However approximately 500,000 or a three percent of the Sri Lankans are suffering from hearing impairments, consequently no speaking abilities.

Dialog cannot escape from its responsibility for those less fortunate of the society, simply because its dominancy in telephony industry - provider of communication service for those who can speak," Dr Wijesuriya said.

Under the proposed project, a fully equipped laboratory will be set up in a newly constructed modern building.

The new center will provide end to end services to the hearing impaired and the general public with the help of sophisticated equipment.

The main focus of the project will be on the upgrading of diagnostic equipment to digital technology, facilitating early detection of hearing deficiencies of infants (currently not available in Sri Lanka), the profiling of hearing aid to suit the individual using special software and post therapy speech simulation.