A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the number of people living with hearing loss in Africa could rise dramatically to 54 million by 2030, up from 40 million.
The report launched at the African Summit on Hearing Impairment in Nairobi, Kenya, highlights the urgent need for intervention to curb this alarming trend.
Hearing loss already costs the continent $27 million annually, with significant implications for individuals and economies. WHO emphasized that without timely measures, “the situation will worsen, disproportionately affecting poorer and vulnerable communities and deepening inequalities in access to healthcare.”
The report also detailed how hearing loss can severely impact children, with delayed language development leading to poor educational outcomes and limited career opportunities. For adults, untreated hearing loss often results in social isolation, loneliness, and a heightened risk of depression and dementia.
Shortage of Care Specialists Persists
One of the key factors driving the rise in hearing loss is the acute shortage of ear and hearing care (EHC) specialists across Africa. WHO’s Africa Region, which includes 47 countries, has a significant gap in available professionals.
More than 56 percent of African countries have only one ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist per million people, compared to around 50 per million in Europe. Audiologists and speech-language therapists are even scarcer, with more than three-quarters of countries having fewer than one specialist per million people.
A staggering 33 million Africans are estimated to need hearing aids, but only 10 percent have access due to the lack of financing for EHC services, driving up costs beyond reach for most people.
The WHO report also pointed out that many African countries are failing to screen newborns for hearing loss. This is particularly concerning, as up to 75 percent of hearing loss in children from low and middle-income countries is caused by preventable conditions, such as infections, ear diseases, and birth complications.
Despite the benefits of early detection, few countries routinely conduct hearing screenings for newborns, and EHC programs remain absent in schools, workplaces, and healthy aging initiatives.
Even in countries that have ear and hearing care services, they are often poorly integrated into broader health programs. This issue is exacerbated by a lack of national policies to strengthen EHC delivery, and where policies do exist, implementation is weak.
Furthermore, 35 percent of African countries do not allocate any budget for EHC activities, leaving patients to shoulder the full burden of treatment and care.
Advocacy, Integration, and Funding
The WHO report offers several recommendations to tackle Africa’s growing hearing loss crisis. Governments are urged to use the report’s findings to drive action at the highest level, advocating for policies that prioritize ear and hearing care.
The integration of EHC into existing healthcare programs is crucial to making the most of limited resources, and governments should seek public-private partnerships to bolster services. Additionally, dedicated funding is needed to provide essential products, technologies, and well-equipped facilities to serve those in need.
Without swift and concerted efforts, the number of Africans affected by hearing loss will continue to climb, placing greater strain on both individuals and economies.
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