Africa-Press – Botswana. Ministry of Health is in the process of adapting the World Health Organisation (WHO) Integrated People-Centered Ear and Hearing care guidelines for Botswana, which will ensure that all people have equal access to quality ear and hearing care services as part of health services.
Speaking at the World Hearing Day commemoration held under the theme; Changing Mindset: Let’s make ear and hearing care a reality for all, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Professor Oatlhokwa Nkomazana underscored the need to prevent deafness and hearing loss by taking care of ears.
Prof. Nkomazana said hearing allowed people to communicate, express themselves, learn, hear sounds in the environment and respond in their life course.
She said the WHO report on prevention of deafness and hearing loss indicated that 90 per cent of people with hearing loss and deafness lived in low and middle income countries, Botswana included.
“Therefore, if we do not address hearing loss as a nation, it will have great impact on the quality of life of the affected people including families and the community at large. Our infant and young children population with hearing loss will have delayed speech and language development as well as poor academic performance. Our older adults will develop premature cognitive decline rendering them dependents,” she said.
She also said unaddressed hearing loss also culminated in limited and loss of educational and employment opportunities, restricted social relations, mental health challenges and economic decline.
“To ensure early identification and intervention of hearing loss and deafness across the life course, the ministry is also developing the guidelines on neonatal and infant hearing screening, school-going hearing screening, exposure to noise and ototoxic medication monitoring hearing screening as well as older adults hearing screening,” she added.
She further said the ministry believed that in line with the focus on revitalisation of primary health care approach, people with hearing loss deserved to be provided with opportunities to reach their full potential.
“Therefore, audiology clinics across the country provide Batswana with high quality digital technology hearing aids at affordable subsidised costs to reduce financial hardships on them as envisioned in the Universal Health Coverage,” she said.
She further said Batswana children of school going age up to 18 years and older adults of 65 years and above were given hearing aids, batteries and maintenance at no charge at public health facilities.
Furthermore, Prof. Nkomazana said for prevention and management of ear diseases and conditions, there were six centres across the country at Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital, Sekgoma Memorial Hospital and Bamalete Lutheran Hospital where preventive and medical services were provided.
“Princess Marina Hospital and Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital provide additional surgical and other specialist care services as may be necessary. All these facilities also conduct outreach services to provide ear and hearing care services closet to people’s homes,” she added.
She also emphasised the need for community engagement and participation in combating misconceptions and stigma to ensure that all people had equal access to quality ear and hearing care services.
She urged people to refrain from some ear care misconceptions such as candling, removing wax with feathers, match sticks, pen and covering the ear canal with cotton wool.
Ngami District Health Management Team coordinator, Dr Sandra Maripe-Ebutswe said the event aimed to promote ear and hearing care and clear misconceptions on ear and hearing care as well as to raise awareness on hearing loss and deafness and ensure that no one was left behind.
Maun East MP, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile appreciated government for its efforts towards mitigating challenges faced by the deaf society.
Mr Kekgonegile also urged the society to change their mindset towards the deaf society and support them to have access to the available services and live freely so that they can be able to participate in community activities.
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