By Egena Sunday Ode
State House Clinic on Thursday in Abuja marked World Hearing Day (WHD) with free tests for patients, staff and visitors.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, joined the staff at the clinic to commemorate the Day, and was among the first to have hearing assessment and check-up.
Prof. Gambari, a statement by Patience Tilley Gyadi, Assistant Director of Information at the State House, Abuja, commended the staff of the Clinic, headed by Dr Munir Yakasai, for raising awareness about how to prevent deafness and hearing loss as well as promote ear and hearing care.
‘’People need to be aware that they don’t need to wait for bad things to happen before they seek help. People need to avoid some habits that will make hearing difficult and lead to complete loss of hearing,” he said.
On the focus of the World Hearing Day, observed every March 3, Dr Sherrifat Hassan, Consultant, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), State House, explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) selected “To hear for life, listen with care” as the theme for this year’s World Hearing Day.
‘’The WHD is an opportunity to create awareness about prevention of hearing loss from cradle to old age for those already affected to know that there are treatment options, and also for people to have empathy for those living with this disabling condition,’’ the Consultant ENT surgeon said.
The ENT Department prepared banners and posters, highlighting the key messages for WHD 2022:
‘’Once you lose your hearing, it won’t come back.
‘’To make listening safe: Keep the volume down; use earplugs in noisy surroundings; limit time spent engaged in noisy activities (especially the elderly); use smart phones apps to monitor sound levels; get regular hearing check-ups.’’
According to the WHO by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have some degree of hearing loss and at least 700 million will require hearing rehabilitation.
It further warned that over one billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices.
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