The State government and experts associated with the Cochlear Implant Programme for children have been caught unawares by playback singer K.J. Yesudas’s move to dissociate himself from the programme. The singer who’s also the project’s patron expressing frustration at the delay had said he would, henceforth, have nothing to do with the project. Minister for Social Welfare Dr M.K. Muneer, however, maintained there was no undue delay as feared by Yesudas.

“True, we’d said the first surgery will be held on Jan. 7. But because of certain unavoidable procedural delays, the first surgeries will be conducted at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College during January last week,” Dr. Muneer told DC. He added, 50 surgeries would be conducted before March and 200 surgeries would be held this year. The project of this scale required meticulous planning and a right implant manufacturer has to be zeroed to ensure cost-effective and continuous supply, according to him.

“We’ve zeroed in on two manufacturers and will clinch a deal by Jan. 15,” Dr. Muneer said adding: “I have to put in place a transparent system of selection of recipients and institutions. No questions should be raised in future.” Director Child Development Centre, Dr M.K.C. Nair, part of the project’s technical team said cochlear implants were not items that could be bought off the shelf. “We need to look at all aspects from screening to post-operative care for a child to benefit from the surgery.”