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As the world grapples with the deadly coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed millions of lives, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning of another possible danger in the near future.
A WHO report suggests that by 2050, one in four people worldwide will suffer from hearing problems.
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The world’s first-ever hearing report of claims that cause many of these problems, such as infections, illnesses, birth defects, noise exposure and lifestyle choices, can be avoided.
WHO called for immediate and additional investment in prevention and treatment. According to the package of measures proposed in the WHO report, it would cost $ 1.33 per person per year.
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“Failure to act will be costly in terms of the health and well-being of those affected, and the financial losses resulting from their exclusion from communication, education and employment,” the report said.
While there are currently one in five people with hearing problems, that number could soon reach 2.5 billion, the report warns.
“The number of hearing impaired people could increase more than 1.5 times over the next three decades” to 2.5 billion people, up from 1.6 billion previously in 2019.
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Of these 2.5 billion, nearly 700 million people would suffer from severe hearing problems by 2050. The 700 million people could even require major treatment for hearing disease, which would represent a significant increase from 430 million people in 2019.
One of the main reasons for this alarming increase is demographic and demographic trends, the report explains.
This problem has also increased due to the lack of access to care, especially in low-income countries – as nearly 80% of people live in these countries – as the majority of them do not receive the necessary help. .
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Lack of accurate information and a growing stigma around ear disease and hearing loss also contribute to the growing number of people with hearing problems.
“Even among healthcare providers, knowledge about the prevention, early identification and management of hearing loss and ear disease is often lacking,” the report says.
The WHO package of measures includes public health initiatives such as reducing noise in public spaces and increasing vaccinations against diseases that can cause hearing loss. He also offered systematic screening to identify the problem.
“An estimated US $ 1 trillion is lost each year due to our collective inability to adequately treat hearing loss,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “While the financial burden is enormous, what cannot be quantified is the distress caused by the loss of communication, education and social interaction that accompanies untreated hearing loss.”
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