Tehran – World Hearing Day is held annually on March 3rd to raise awareness of hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care. The day calls for action to address hearing loss and other related issues.
Each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) determines themes and develops evidence-based advocacy materials such as brochures, flyers, posters, banners, infographics, and presentations.
This year’s theme focuses on changing mindsets towards ear and hearing care in 2024. It invites individuals of all ages to empower themselves to ensure healthy ears and hearing for themselves and others, and “change your mindset: empower ears and hearing care to become reality for everyone!”
By encouraging individuals to recognize the importance of ear and hearing health, this year’s campaign aims to encourage people to change their behavior to loudly protect their hearing from hearing impairment, prevent hearing impairment, check their hearing regularly, use hearing devices when necessary, and support people living with hearing loss. Empowered individuals can promote change in themselves and society as a whole.
By 2030, more than 500 million people are expected to need rehabilitation for hearing loss. Over a billion young people face the risk of permanent hearing loss as they are exposed to loud noises for long periods of time during recreational entertainment, such as listening to music and video gameplay.
How do we listen in the future depend on today’s ear care, as many cases of hearing loss can be avoided through safe listening and adoption of excellent hearing care practices? For people with hearing loss, early identification and access to timely rehabilitation is essential to achieving the best possible potential.
You can take the steps today.
Hearing at various life stages, vaccinating children against infections, treating ear infections, controlling exposure to loud noise in occupational and recreational settings, and early diagnosis and treatment of hearing impairment can prevent hearing loss.
Every day, around 10-20 babies in Iran are born with hearing impairment, and an average of 3,000 babies are acquired per year. This highlights the prevalence of disability in the country.
The newborn hearing screening program was launched in 2005. There are currently 700 centers conducting hearing screening nationwide. Since 2005, the program has targeted 15,385,789 babies, of which 47,478 have been diagnosed with hearing impairment and have undergone rehabilitation services.
In the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year, which began in March 2024, 480,794 infants were screened and 2,132 deaf babies were detected.
Cochlear Immibrantation is one of the most advanced medical treatments that help deaf or hard-heard people perceive sound.
This country has been undergoing surgery since 1993. Iran is one of the top 10 countries and is the first in the region to perform surgery, the Ministry of Health’s website reports.
So far, more than 20,000 cochlear implants have been implemented in the country.