Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has charged medical authorities in the country to ensure the provision of adequate diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative services in hospitals across the country, in order to reduce the number of Nigerians with hearing disabilities.
Mrs Buhari was speaking on Tuesday at an event organised to mark World Hearing Day by the State House Clinic, Abuja.
She said there is need for the populace to be informed about the availability of such services as loss of hearing does not signify an end to life, and that interventions on hearing loss are available and are cost-effective.
“The populace must be encouraged to prevent themselves by going for regular screening, and rehabilitating themselves through hearing devices,” the wife of the president said.
Speaking on the theme of this year’s event “Action For Hearing Loss: Make A Sound Investment”, Mrs. Buhari drew attention to the fact that taking action is indeed an investment, because hearing loss has economic repercussions, as well as significant impact on the lives of those affected.
Mrs. Buhari was represented by Mrs. Mairo Tanko Almakura, wife of the Governor of Nassarawa State.
Earlier, the President of the Oto–Rhin–Laryngological Society of Nigeria (ORLSON), umbrella organisation for Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists, Prof. O.G.B Nwaorgu advocated that Neonatal Hearing screening should be made mandatory in all health facilities to ensure that babies with hearing loss or predisposed to hearing loss are identified early.
He also identified noise as an increasing source of hearing loss, citing chronic exposure to moderate sounds as very dangerous to the ear.
Prof. Nwaorgu therefore called for regulation on noise emission, control and abatement, to preserve and maintain public health; specifically citing noise originating from industrial, commercial, domestic, sport, recreational, transportation or similar activities.
The meeting was attended by representative of Minister of Health and Chief Medical Director National Hospital, Dr. Jack Momoh, Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr. Jalal Arabi, Special Adviser to the President on Media, Mr. Femi Adesina and Emir of Borgu, among others.