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March 6, 2023World Hearing Day 2023
World Hearing Day on March 3 promotes hearing and access to hearing and ear care across the world. It’s held annually by the Office of Prevention of Blindness and Deafness at the World Health Organization (WHO). The initiative started in 2007 in a bid to raise awareness about deafness. Campaigns used on the day are themed, with past themes spanning a variety of topics relating to deafness and ear care.
World Hearing Day 2023
World Hearing Day 2023‘s theme is “Ear and Hearing Care for All.” The organization aims to draw the attention of government decision makers towards the WHO’s recommendations regarding integration of ear and hearing into primary health care (PHC). They also want to encourage governments to train health care providers in primary-level ear and hearing care training programs. Another purpose is to alert them about the needs of people with hearing loss and ear disease. Their last goal is to inform people about the importance of ear and hearing care and encourage them to seek services.
“World Hearing Day 2023’s theme is “Ear and Hearing Care for All.””
Last year’s theme was “To hear for life and to listen with care.” Resources were launched that included a safe listening handbook, a standard for safe listening venues and events, and a media toolkit for journalists for how to talk about safe listening. Among the key messages of this year? Ear and hearing problems are the most common concerns that are encountered in the community. Over 60 percent of those can be identified and addressed at the primary care level.
Read more: World Hearing Day: Unaddressed hearing loss costs nearly $750 billion globally
Why is it Important?
According to the WHO, four hundred and 30 million people are deaf. That’s five percent of the world’s population. By 2050, it’s estimated that that one in 10 people (700 million) will have hearing loss. World Hearing Day is important because it raises awareness about hearing loss. It also encourages community involvement – playing a role in keeping cases of hearing loss under control. Furthermore, it’s very far reaching, as it’s something that’s observed around the world.
Spreading the word is key to raising awareness, so share posts supporting it to your social media feeds. Many people have undiagnosed hearing difficulties, and early detection is important – so why not take a hearing test? You can also participate in spreading awareness by making a donation or volunteering to organizations that support people with hearing loss. With 430 million people with hearing loss globally, it’s a sound investment.
