Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | Ramadan 8, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

1 in 4 people projected to have hearing problems by 2050

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Nearly 2.5 billion people - or around a quarter of the global population - are projected to have some degree of hearing loss by 2050, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.


At least 700 million of these people will require access to ear and hearing care and other rehabilitation services unless action is taken, the WHO said in its first World Report on Hearing released on Tuesday ahead of World Hearing Day on March 3.


The report outlines efforts to prevent and address hearing loss.


"The point is we know how to prevent this, or at least a lot of it," WHO expert Shelly Chadha said.


"Untreated hearing loss can have a devastating impact on people’s ability to communicate, to study, and to earn a living," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.


The WHO estimates that 1.1 billion young people (aged 12-35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in recreational settings.


Strategic clinical screening can ensure that any loss of hearing and ear diseases can be identified as early as possible.


Once diagnosed, early intervention is key. Medical and surgical treatment can cure most ear diseases, while hearing technology like hearing aids and cochlear implants are effective and cost-effective, according to the report.


In children, almost 60 percent of hearing loss can be prevented through immunization against rubella and meningitis, improved maternal and neonatal care, and screening for inflammatory diseases of the middle ear.


In adults, noise control, safe listening, and good ear hygiene can help maintain good hearing and reduce the potential for hearing loss.


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