Deafness awareness camp at Chamba medical college

A district-level deafness awareness camp was organised for nursing students at Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College, Chamba. District Programme Officer Dr Vaibhavi Gurung highlighted a report from 2022, which estimated that over 65 million people in India were experiencing hearing impairment or deafness. According to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), by 2050, nearly 700 million people worldwide could be affected by hearing loss.

Experts believed that many cases of deafness or hearing impairment could be treated or managed, if addressed in time, she said.However, a lack of awareness, misunderstanding of symptoms, and delays in seeking treatment often resulted in partial or complete hearing loss, added Dr Gurung.

She said the objective of deaf awareness week, from August 30 to September 4 every year, was to encourage people to take hearing issues seriously and seek timely treatment to prevent or manage hearing loss effectively.

Hearing loss did not only refer to complete deafness, it encompassed any reduction in hearing ability due to disease, condition, or circumstances, either partially or fully, and could occur at any age.

WHO reports that one of the primary reasons for the increasing cases of hearing loss globally was exposure to loud music or high decibel noises. While deafness was often irreversible, hearing impairment could sometimes be treated or managed with therapy, hearing aids, or other techniques, she said, adding that in certain cases, surgery may also help improve hearing ability.

According to WHO, the number of people suffering from hearing loss was steadily increasing worldwide. Various health organisations estimated that nearly 80 per cent of the global population’s needs related to ear diseases and hearing problems, particularly treatment and care, remained unmet, she said. This was often due to factors like neglecting symptoms, delaying treatment and lack of information about where and how to get treatment or therapy, Dr Gurung added. Misconceptions, myths and a negative attitude towards deafness or hearing loss also contributed to delays in seeking treatment, she said, adding that awareness efforts during the week — including camps, seminars and rallies — aimed to educate people about the prevention of hearing loss and the importance of timely treatment and care for hearing-related issues. A declamation contest was also organised on the occasion.