GMA Extra: A world record for hearing tests in one day

GMA EXTRA 20 MARCH 2017 (HEARING/ALPHA PHARM)

A world record for most hearings tests in a day results in help for some who need it most

ANGEL: Greg Norman, Head of Marketing and Communication for the Alpha Pharm Group

BACKGROUND:  World Hearing Day was marked on 3 March - as declared by the World Health Organisation. The theme for the World Hearing Day 2017 was ‘Action for hearing loss: make a sound investment’. The aim was to draw attention to the economic impact of hearing loss and cost effectiveness of interventions to address it. Locally, the Alpha Pharm group’s clinics partnered with HearZA and Savantos Hearing and used the opportunity to make hearing tests accessible to the public. They reached their goal of setting a new world record for “most hearing tests in a day” - over 700 tests were done. From these tests, they found 11 people, who need help with restoring their hearing, who cannot afford it. Now, they will help those in need, to get their hearing back. 

MORE INFO: http://www.who.int/pbd/deafness/en/

In 2012, WHO released new estimates on the magnitude of disabling hearing loss. The estimates are based on a review of 42 population-based studies carried out up to 2010. Based on these, the estimates are as follows: 

· There are 360 million persons in the world with disabling hearing loss (5.3% of the world's population)

· 328 million (91%)of these are adults (183 million males, 145 million females)

· 32 million (9%) of these are children

· The prevalence of disabling hearing loss in children is greatest in South Asia, Asia Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa

· Approximately one-third of persons over 65 years are affected by disabling hearing loss

· The prevalence of disabling hearing loss in adults over 65 years is highest in South Asia, Asia Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa