March 03, 2021

Anna Murray 

The World Health Organization (WHO) released on March 3 its first-ever World Report on Hearing warning that 2.5 billion people worldwide will suffer hearing loss by 2050. It will be almost 1 in 4 people subjected to hearing problems.

March 3 is World Hearing Day, conducted by WHO as an annual awareness event to promote treatment of hearing loss, highlighted with 2021’s theme on "Hearing care for all." According to U.S. National Institutes of Health, approximately 40 million adults reported some degree of hearing problem in the US. Yet nearly 30 million people leave their hearing loss untreated.

WHO indicated the main causes of hearing loss in children through rubella, meningitis, and inflammatory diseases of the middle ear. In adults, hearing loss often damaged from the lack of noise control, safe listening, and surveillance of ototoxic medicines together with good ear hygiene.

On this year's World Hearing Day on March 3, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged more than 700 million people will need ear treatment, hearing care, and other rehabilitation services unless prevention is taken by 2050. Meanwhile, Director of the WHO Department of Noncommunicable Diseases Dr. Bente Mikkelsen suggested hearing loss treatment by integrating ear and hearing care interventions within each nation's health plan and delivering hearing care through strengthened health systems.

Photo:Webshot.