National services of screening newborns for hearing expanded 03 Mar 2021 - 21:01 Dr. Khalid A.Hadi By Fazeena Saleem / The Peninsula DOHA: With an aim to enhance the National Center for Early Detection of Hearing Loss (NPEDHL), screening services of newborns has been expanded to the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) said a senior official. Also at present babies are screened for hearing once instead of the previous practice of two screenings, said National Lead of Health and well-being for people with Special Needs, Dr. Khalid A.Hadi. “In place of testing the babies twice; first after birth before hospital discharge and second at 2 to 3 months of age with one physiological test (OAE), it has been changed to test once at 2 to 3 months of age with the first vaccination with two physiological tests (OAE and AABR),” said Dr Hadi.