A state-of-the-art Auditory Brainstem Response Machine (ABM), purchased at a cost of over KSh 2 million, has remained unused at Isiolo County Referral Hospital for more than three months due to the absence of an audiologist and confusion attributed to the ongoing leadership wrangles.

The ABM is vital in the early detection of hearing loss in infants and adults. By pinpointing the location and nature of auditory problems, it helps determine whether interventions such as hearing aids or cochlear implants are necessary—critical tools for supporting speech and language development in children.

Parents and guardians of children with hearing impairments have expressed frustration, noting they are forced to seek costly screening services in Nairobi despite the presence of the machine in Isiolo. Some report spending up to KSh 30,000 in travel and medical expenses.

Rev. Jarso Boru lamented that children at the Isiolo school for the deaf, who come from the wider North Eastern region are yet to benefit from the machine, urging the county government to fast-track its activation.

He revealed that only one out of 96 children in need of screening has so far been assessed, yet such evaluations are mandatory for children with hearing loss to access government support.

Mohamed Abdullahi, chairperson of Persons Living with Disabilities in Isiolo, echoed the concerns.

He noted that many families are burdened with the cost of traveling to Nairobi and Meru for specialized services. He further appealed to both county and national governments to provide assistive devices to people with disabilities in the region, many of whom cannot afford essential equipment.

Abdullahi criticized poor service delivery in the county, attributing it to leadership wrangles that have left critical services crippled. 

He called on the governor to prioritize the operationalization of the ABM and to recruit a neurologist to ensure the hospital’s diagnostic department functions effectively.

Written by George Kobia, TV47 Correspondent