IAMP releases a 'Call for Action to Strengthen Healthcare for Hearing Loss' on International Ear Care Day, 3 March 2015

The IAMP Statement specifically calls on governments and other healthcare providers to implement a number of practices, including:

• improved healthcare provision in the area of hearing loss, such as universal hearing
• screening in birthing centres and making hearing aids and cochlear implants accessible and affordable
• ensuring public health measures account for the causes of hearing loss
• addressing hearing loss in both children and adults while acknowledging the differences between these groups;
• addressing broader societal needs, such as providing educational programmes for children with hearing loss, their relatives and communities; and
• establishing research and innovation programmes targeted at hearing loss priorities, including the development of novel screening and diagnostic techniques to improve the early identification of hearing loss in children and encouraging innovation to develop affordable high quality low-cost hearing aids and low-cost batteries.

Follow the LINK to download the Statement, currently available in English, Chinese, Italian and Spanish,

In parallel with the release of the statement, a ‘Comment’ article was published in the leading medical journal, The Lancet, on 3 March.

Hearing loss: a global health issue

Further information: The theme for International Ear Care Day 2015 is ‘Make Listening Safe’. 

This theme will draw attention to the rising problem of noise-induced hearing loss. It raises the alarm that millions of teenagers and young people are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices, including smartphones, and exposure to damaging levels of sound at noisy entertainment venues such as nightclubs, bars and sporting events. It highlights that such recreational hearing loss has potentially devastating consequences for physical and mental health, education and employment.