World Hearing Day: 2,000 Nigerians register for free hearing aids

On Mar 4, 2024

No fewer than 2,000 persons have been registered for the 2024 Free World Hearing Day exercise in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital at the weekend. Mr Kehinde Akinyemi, the Special Assistant on Media to former President Olusegun Obasanjo disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

The exercise, conducted by Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, was done to commemorate the 87th birthday anniversary of the Chief Promoter of the Foundation, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the year 2024 World Hearing Day, which took place on Sunday, worldwide.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Dr. Olalekan Makinde, has however appealed to the government to prioritise the well-being of her citizens, particularly people with impaired hearing in Nigeria, following the high cost and accessibility of hearing aid.

He said, “The 2000 figure recorded so far in the first day of the exercise indicated that the government needs to as a matter of urgency come to rescue those in need of hearing aids, as the number of those affected goes higher every year. The hearing aids are also not easily accessible and are very expensive, but the foundation, in collaboration with her partners, will be giving out no fewer than 2000 hearing aids to people for free.”

He commended the former President for supporting the Foundation in getting the requirements to achieve the exercise.

Makinde added that the program apart from commemorating the World Hearing Day, will be continued to ensure that the 2000 target was meant by Tuesday.

On her part, the founder, of Ear Care Foundation for Africa/Asia, Aderinola Olopade urged policymakers to prioritize access to newborn hearing screening programmes.

World Hearing Day 2024 focuses on overcoming the challenges posed by societal misconception and stigmatising mindsets through awareness-raising and information-sharing, targeted at the public and healthcare providers.

PUNCH/Wumi