India, June 13 -- In a major relief for children with hearing impairment, the Centre has given 'in principle' approval to increasing the age limit for beneficiaries of cochlear implant procedures from two to five years under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK); Maharashtra health minister Prakash Abitkar said on Thursday.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting held between Abitkar and Aradhana Patnaik, additional secretary and mission director, National Health Mission (NHM), on Thursday, June 11, in the national capital.

The RBSK programme, also known as the Child Health Screening and Early Intervention Programme, was launched in 2013 and focuses on early screening, and medical and surgical management of children wit...