Hearing Impairment - A major source of disability

The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 278,000,000 people worldwide have deafness and hearing impairment of sufficient degree to have a significant impact upon their lives. Most live in developing countries where there are limited resources to help them. The outcome is that many children fail to develop to their potential in terms of oral communication, education, social and emotional development and many adults are limited in their opportunities for employment and social interaction.

In developing countries there is a lack of personnel for raising awareness of the causes of hearing impairment and the means of preventing it; a lack of trained personnel for detection, diagnosis and management; insufficient equipment and inadequate calibration and repair services; little in the way of hearing aid and earmould services; lack of research in areas of interest to developing countries. Trained personnel have little or no opportunity to keep up-to-date by attending refresher courses or conferences. Your help is needed.

Background information
 
The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 278 million people have a disabling hearing loss. Two-thirds of these live in developing countries where resources to prevent hearing impairment and to find and help those who are affected are very limited.
 
There are many causes of hearing loss in developing countries and it is believed that around 50% are preventable.
 
The Trustees have experience of working with hearing impaired and deaf adults in Britain and in developing counties and have helped provide training for others coming to Britain from more disadvantaged economies. This has brought an understanding of what is required to support the development of professionals and services in these areas and has created a desire to help provide assistance.

Trustees & Committee Members
 
Chairman

    * Prof. Valerie Newton

Secretary 

    * Dr Frances Tweedy

Treasurer

    * Dr Gillian Painter 

Other Comittee Members