CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (January 27, 2010) — Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Hon. Hensley Daniel applauded the efforts of Caribbean Foundation For Children Inc. for their assistance to the children of Nevis.

The accolade came when he delivered remarks at a ceremony to mark the official start of a Hearing Mission for children mounted by the organisation at the Alexandra Hospital’s grounds on Wednesday.

Mr. Daniel told the Organisation’s Nevisian born Corporation Director Mrs. Evelyn Henville that the NIA was pleased to be connected with the January 26-27 event which would also be extended to the children of St. Kitts on the 28^th and 29^th.

“We are pleased to be associated with this event which seeks to promote hearing health by screening children and outfitting them with hearing aids…

“I want to commend the Caribbean Foundation for Children for this initiative and if it means that over 100 children from our school system will be screened, that means that 100 less children will have the chance to develop hearing difficulties,” he said.

Education and Health Officials parents and students at the Hearing Mission’s opening ceremony

Mr. Daniel explained that as Health Minister he has had to deal with many parents who recognised at some point that their child needed hearing aids therefore the hearing mission was a welcome one.

The Mission began on Tuesday with training for a number of Public Health Nurses and Teachers to detect children who had hearing difficulties. The mission continued on Wednesday at the Alexandra Hospital with screening of students from a number of primary schools and follow up examinations by Global Deaf Connections Specialist Dr. Ron Brouillette.

The Health Minister explained that hearing loss could profoundly affect one’s experience in life from their ability to communicate with others to the enjoyment of nature and one’s environment. Therefore, it was critical to help the children since they were the future of Nevis

“Hearing loss may impact our students ability to hear and understand language; understand new concepts, particularly language based concepts; access information presented in classrooms; produce speech sounds [and] produce oral language; interact with other students being more comfortable in a small group or in one and one situations.

Parents, guardians, teachers and students at the opening ceremony

“It is important for us to help our children because they are the future of this country [and] they are the future of Nevis. If we neglect our children, we will diminish our future,” he said.

Mr. Daniel referred to the Caribbean Foundation for Children Hearing Mission as something very special which supported the educational advancement of Nevisian children. He said it was an act which hearing recipients would always remember.

The Minister added that the Foundation would live into the future through its gift of hearing which the children of Nevis would receive.

“It is indeed a good project for it is helping our people and that is what life is all about. It is clear and it must never be lost on us that we live through what we give…

“It is a gift to our community it is a gift to humanity. Our children will hear better and it will help them to perform better at school,” he said.

The Health Minister underscored the need for the good function of all five senses of taste, touch, sight, smell and hearing which were very important to humans to function properly.

Mr. Daniel further noted, that the Ministry of Health in its effect to promote and sustain quality health care, was always in search for partners and they welcomed the partnership with the Caribbean Foundation For Children and Dr. Ron Brouillette. He expressed hope that they would find it necessary to engage with health officials on Nevis regularly.