Implementation of a neonatal hearing screening program in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: a pilot study in maternity hospitals

Neonatal screening enables early detection and management of hearing loss, reducing its impact on language, learning, and overall development. To assess the operational feasibility of neonatal screening in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, through a pilot study. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the city of Kinshasa between October and December 2024. A total of 1,017 newborns whose parents gave consent were enrolled in four referral maternity hospitals in the city. Screening was performed using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR). Statistical analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS version 27.0 for Windows. All 1,017 newborns were screened using DPOAE; 25/1,017 were referred, yielding a referral rate of 2.5%. The follow-up return rate was 80% (20/25). Five newborns were lost to follow-up. Among the 20 referred newborns who participated in the second screening stage using DPOAE, 19 passed and one remained referred even after AABR testing. Hearing loss was confirmed at 3 months of age by ABR, with a prevalence of 1 per 1000, i.e., 1/1,017. Early detection of hearing loss is feasible in the Democratic Republic of the Congo despite major organizational and financial challenges.