An Otorhinolaryngologist, Prof. Titus Ibekwe of the University of
Abuja Teaching Hospital, says at least 10 million Nigerians have
“disabling hearing loss.”
Ibekwe made the disclosure in Abuja on the commemoration of the 2019
World Hearing Day, which theme is “Check your hearing”.
The surgeon, who is the Head of Department Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
Surgery at the hospital, said the figure was obtained from a survey
conducted by the Otorhinolaryngology Society of Nigeria in 2018.
He defined Otorhinolaryngology as a surgical subspecialty within
medicine that deals with conditions of the ear, nose and throat and
related structures of the head and neck.
Ibekwe, also the current Vice Chairman of the International Advisory
Board of the American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology and Neck Surgery
Foundation, however, noted that majority of these hearing losses were
preventable.
“At the moment the survey conducted by Otorhinolaryngology Society of
Nigeria (ORLSON) last year showed that nothing less than 10 million
Nigerians have disabling hearing loss,” he said.
Ibekwe said further that the prevalence of hearing loss globally was
put at 420 million by the World Health Organisation (WHO), with over 60
per cent of the number from the developing countries.
He advised parents and guardians to subject themselves and their
children to ENT tests at least every six months to check their ears and
hearing as applicable to other vital routine checks like blood
pressure, sugar, cholesterol among others.
Such measure according to him will reduce the burden and further ensure good quality life for the populace.
“You may want to find out if you ask people to repeat what they say
very frequently offering the word “pardon”, “say that again”, ”
repeat”?
“Do I miss some words during conversation?” Do I have ringing sensation in my ears”?
“These points are very important for thorough checking,”
The surgeon noted that the day was set aside to raise awareness in
every segment of the society in view of the importance of hearing to the
unborn child, children, adolescent, adult and the aged.
He emphasised that hearing cut across every strata of health and development.
The surgeon explained that every newborn child would be able to
develop his or her full potential if that child was able to perceive
sound within the critical period of development, the first year of life.
According to him, at this stage other cognitive functions including
speech, intelligibility, Intelligent Quotient, vision and other motor
functions are triggered by sound stimulus perceived by functional ear
through hearing pathway to the brain in newborn.
“Whereas if a child is unable to perceive sound or hear within this
period and nothing was done about it, this child will definitely be
unable to speak and stands the risk of losing the other cognitive
functions” he noted.
He therefore advised against practices that would jeopardise hearing
such as excessive noise, insertion of objects in an attempt at cleaning
one's ears.
Ibekwe further advised against consanguineous marriages (marriages
among close relatives) adding that such marriages encourage expression
of recessive genes causing hearing loss, self medications and irrational
use of some drugs which are toxic to the ears among others.
He also advised on the need for early presentation of any anomaly to the ENT, Head and Neck Surgeons for proper attention.
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