In accordance with this year’s theme: Changing Mindsets- Let’s make ear and hearing care a reality for all!, the programme also featured otoscopy, wax removal, provision of medication where needed, hearing assessment, fitting of hearing aids/earmoulds/slim tubes plus domes, provision of batteries and rehabilitation of all patients.
This partnership provided the platform to reach out to the Nigerian audience, including policymakers in order to compaign against stigmatisation and change the misperceptions through advocacy, awareness-raising, and information-sharing.
Also, it was an opportunity to work with other organisations, such as the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, especially with a team of Ear and Throat (ENT) consultants, audiologists, speech therapists and nurses.
Meanwhile, there were volunteers from HearMax Centre, who contributed to the success of the programme.
In addition, the platform provided by the Oluseun Obasanjo Foundation gave 100 earmoulds, 200 earmoulds to infants and children, which were donated by Hear Rehab Centre, Abeokuta.
Other Nigerians from Adamawa, Enugu, Kwara, Taraba, Imo, Lagos, Osun, and Oyo were also attended to.
These collaborations helped drive the message on the importance of creating awareness, advocacy, educating Nigerians on ear and hearing health as well as drive World Health Organisation’s theme for this year’s World Hearing Day.
Hearing loss has often been referred to as an “invisible disability”, not just because of the lack of visible symptoms, but because it has long been stigmatised in communities and ignored by policymakers.
Globally more than 1.5 billion people experience some degree of hearing loss. Of these, an estimated 430 million have disabling hearing loss. In Nigeria over 20.2 million reported cases of people living with disabling hearing loss according to World Health Organisation and World Bank statistics from 2019, due to preventable common causes such as ototoxic medicines.
i.e. quinine, gentamycin and streptomycin, jaundice, measles and meningitis, exposure to loud sounds, recurrent ear infections, trauma to the ear or head, and other causes have been documented although more research and accurate data collection is needed in this field.
In children almost 60% of hearing loss is due to causes that can be prevented through measures such as immunization from measles, improved maternal and neonatal care, screening for and early management of ear infections.
The prevalence of disabling hearing loss increases exponentially with age, rising from 15.4% among people aged in their 60’s, to 58.2% among those aged more than 90years. Unaddressed hearing loss may be responsible for over 8% of cases of dementia among older adults.
There is a national shortage of hearing care specialists such as audiologists and ENT specialists and little to no access to medical interventions like hearing aids, middle ear implants and cochlear implants. Where available the cost is very high which cannot be afforded by your average Nigerian.
Call to action from the Nigerian government, industry partners and civil society – ear and hearing care needs remain unmet, I urge you to lend your unwavering support to Earcare Foundation’ mission to the following:
1. Promoting awareness: utilize your platform and influence to raise awareness about the importance of ear and hearing health among policymakers, healthcare professionals and the public. Counter the common misperception and stigmatizing mindsets related to ear and hearing problems in communities and among health care providers.
2. Mobilizing resources: Allocate resources towards the development and implementation of comprehensive ear and hearing care programs, with a focus on early detection, intervention, and rehabilitation services.
3. Advocating for policy change: Advocate for the creating and implementation of inclusive policies that prioritise ear and hearing health as essential components of universal healthcare coverage for Nigerians.
4. Fostering collaboration: To collaborate with stakeholders across sectors, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academia, and the private sector, to leverage collective expertise and resources towards providing accurate and evidence-based information to change public perceptions of hearing loss.
5. Access to medical and non-medical interventions: provide affordable and or subsidised access to hearing aids and batteries, middle ear and cochlear implants, sign language and sensory substitution and rehabilitative therapy to every Nigerian.
We at Earcare Foundation believe a Nigerian should not have to take a 25-hour drive from Adamawa State, Imo State, Enugu, Taraba, Oshogbo or Kwara state to have access to hearing assessments and or fitting of hearing aids and consumables. This is why we employ the Nigerian policymakers to work with us at Earcare Foundation to make ear and hearing care a reality for all Nigerians.
