At the press meet held at Press club of Bangalore, Director of NAYAK’S SPEECH &HEARING CLUNIC Dr. M. S. L. Nayak said,March 3 is World Hearing Day, an important observance by the World Health Organization (WHO). This is an opportunity to raise awareness about how to prevent deafness and hearing loss; and promote ear and hearing care around the world.
The world hearing day 2024 will focus on overcoming challenges posed by societal misperceptions and stigmatizing mindsets through awareness-raising and information-sharing targeted at the public and health care providers.
The theme for 2024 is Changing Mindsets -“let’s make Ear and Hearing care: a reality for all!”
WHO recognizes that over 80% of people globally who require hearing care is not receiving it. Social misperceptions and stigmatizing mindsets are the factors that hinder efforts to prevent and address hearing loss.
The main objectives of the campaign will be to dispel misconceptions, provide evidence-based information to reshape public perceptions of hearing loss and facilitate access to ear and hearing care services to all who need it, as an essential health service.
Hearing loss adversely affects acquisition of speech-language, learning, academic, psychological, social, economic aspects of an individual and in turn national productivity. While children with hearing loss fall behind in academics, most adults face prospect of unemployment. Those who are lucky to be employed earn low wages. More ever, it can lead to all sorts of health problems, including depression and anxiety, and is linked with dementia.
HIGHLIGHTS
Worldwide hearing loss is on the rise and currently it affects 1.5 billion people and may increase 1.5-fold to 2.5 billion by 2050. While 1 in 4 will have some degree of hearing impairment, 1 in 10 people – will have disabling hearing loss by then.
430 million people – require rehabilitation (including 34 million children).
Among those older than 60 years; over 25% are affected by disabling hearing loss.
1 billion young people are at risk of avoidable hearing loss, and around 200 million suffering with preventable or treatable chronic ear infections.
63 million people in India, suffer from hearing loss. As per NSSO 2001 survey 291 persons (including large percentage of children in the 0 to 14 age group) per one lakh population have severe to profound hearing loss.
In Karnataka, we have 4 million people (including 20,839 children in 0-6 years) with it.
While half of the cases are preventable, unaddressed hearing loss poses an annual cost of nearly US$I trillion globally towards educational, social support and lost productivity
The sustainable development goals for 2030 requires that all people, including those with hearing loss and ear diseases, have access to high quality services without experiencing financial hardship
Scaling up services in the next 10 years, through the H.E.A.R interventions will require only an additional annual per capita investment of US $ 1.33. This is equivalent to an annual additional investment cost of over Rs.7000 crore for India alone.
. The resulting health gain will avert nearly 130 million DALYS (disability adjusted life years). Investment in car and hearing care is cost-effective; we can expect a return of nearly 16 international dollars for every 1 dollar invested.
National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness (NPPCD) was launched in 2007 and is being implemented in 558 of 797 (2023) districts throughout India. It is high time we strengthen and expand it for the entire country.
On this occasion, Nayak’s Speech and Hearing Clinic in collaboration with ENRICH (Regd.) Rehabilitation trust will launch a “Free Hearing Screening programme” for infants. The program is intended to make services more accessible to the public to assess and monitor the baby’s hearing health in its first three years of life.
Shri B. Dayananda,I.P.S. Commissioner of Police Bangalore City will inaugurate the Free Infant Hearing Screening Programme at 250, Swamy complex 24th Main 2nd Phase J.P.Nagar, Bangalore
Free Hearing Screening Programme will help infants with hearing loss to acquire speech language skills naturally just like normally hearing infants. Families of babies detected to have hearing loss will be provided with professional guidance and support. Parents who suspect their child to have hearing problem or experiencing delayed hearing milestone may contact 080 42075691.
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