Photo : Messenger
Raida, a 5-year-old who was born deaf and non-verbal, underwent Cochlear Implant Surgery at age 4, following the precise audiological guidelines provided by Audiologist. S M Toufiq Abir. Once limited by her hearing challenges, Raida's mother shared that Mr. Toufiq gave them essential guidance on cochlear implantation and introduced them to post-operative therapy known as Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT).
Now, Raida can hear well and is beginning to speak. She’s even attending a regular school, marking a transformative change in her life.
There are a number of patients like Raida stuffing from related problems across the country. But how many people know about the treatment of these? As medical science is improving day by day, the demand for audiologists is also rising for the huge number of patients throughout Bangladesh. Now let's know about such a veteran audiologist, S M Toufiq Abir, who apparently devoted himself to the betterment of the patients and working tirelessly to increase awareness, establish a field for audiologists, and so on.
S M Toufiq Abir is a leading Certified Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathologist in Bangladesh, whose dedication to improving the lives of hearing-impaired individuals and children with special needs has made a significant impact on the country’s healthcare landscape. With years of specialized training, academic certification, and practical experience, Mr. Abir has worked tirelessly to advocate for early intervention, rehabilitation, and improved access to hearing health services. Currently, he is working as an In-House Faculty Member of the Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology (ASLP) at the Proyash Institute of Special Education & Research (PISER), Dhaka Cantonment, under the Faculty of Medical Studies of BUP.
However, he has conducted nearly ten thousand Speech Therapy sessions for children with Speech and Language Impairments, including those with Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and related disorders. Additionally, he has supported around fifty individuals—both children with pre-lingual deafness and adults with post-lingual deafness—through Cochlear Implant Rehabilitation, providing Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT).
Besides, he has also provided Speech Therapy for ten to fifteen adult stroke survivors who lost their ability to speak due to stroke, as well as Voice Therapy for singers who experienced voice disorders. Moreover, he has extended his support to underprivileged individuals in remote areas of Bangladesh by offering hearing aids and online Speech Therapy consultations for children with hearing and speech impairments.
While talking about all these, Mr Abir has been asked some relevant questions and also about his visions. How he put himself a pioneering character in this fried. What are the challenges, and how to come forward from these? He gave trademark answers and thus depicted his visions.
Championing the Cause for Hearing-Impaired Persons
Abir has been at the forefront of raising awareness about hearing impairments in Bangladesh. His work involves providing comprehensive audiological services, including hearing assessments, fitting of hearing aids, and cochlear implant rehabilitation, ensuring that individuals with hearing impairments receive the best possible care.
Transforming the Lives of Children with Special Needs
As a dedicated professional, Abir has a special focus on children with communication disorders and developmental disabilities. Through speech and language therapy, he has helped countless children improve their ability to communicate and integrate better into society. He is particularly passionate about supporting children with autism, down syndrome, and other developmental delays, offering tailor-made therapy plans that address their unique challenges.
Advocacy and Community Outreach
Beyond clinical practice, Abir is actively involved in advocacy and community outreach initiatives. He regularly organizes workshops, seminars, and awareness programs to educate parents, caregivers, and educators about the importance of early intervention for children with special needs. His outreach work includes collaborations with various organizations to ensure better inclusion and opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Bangladesh.
Importance for the society:
Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology are vital professions for society as they help individuals with hearing, speech, and language disorders overcome communication barriers. Audiologists improve quality of life by diagnosing and treating hearing impairments, while speech-language pathologists help people with speech, language, voice, and swallowing disorders. These services are essential for children’s development, adult rehabilitation, and enhancing social interaction, education, and employment opportunities for affected individuals.
Abir envisions a future where every person with hearing impairment or communication challenges in Bangladesh has access to quality care and the opportunity to lead a fulfilling life.
People like Abir, working tirelessly for the people who are suffering from hearing-related problems, are still undercover. Society, even the state, should come forward to appreciate their work, and obviously, the media should play a vital role in popularizing their job so that people across the country can be aware of this fully curable disease. Let's all hear the sounds of the universe and speak loud and clear.
Messenger/Disha
