Audiologist Distributes N200m In Hearing Aids, Advocating Support For Ibadan Residents With Hearing Loss....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

A non-governmental organization, the HearMax Initiative, in collaboration with the Starkey Hearing Foundation and Inqaba Biotech, has provided hearing support devices and services valued at twenty million naira (N20m) to one hundred and twenty beneficiaries in Ibadan.

The beneficiaries, comprising children, adults, and elderly individuals with hearing challenges, congregated at the football pitch in front of the IITA Ibadan along Akinyele/Iseyin Express Road over the weekend. They received organized hearing screening services, including registration, hearing diagnosis, counseling, and the distribution of regulated hearing aids, among other services.

A hearing aid is a small electronic device that assists people with hearing loss, worn in or behind their ear.

Dr. Ibraheem Salako, an Audiologist and the Executive Director of the HearMax Initiative, emphasized the importance of early hearing screening for children under 5 years old before their enrollment in school. This early detection allows for timely treatment, ensuring optimal academic performance.

Dr. Ibraheem highlighted the prevalence of students in schools who struggle to hear their teachers due to a lack of access to hearing aids. He urged the government to take proactive steps in providing hearing screening facilities and hearing aids, especially in special schools, where many students have manageable hearing challenges.

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He explained, “Today we are providing hearing aids for one hundred and twenty people, and these hearing aids are quite expensive. The total cost of the services we are providing today is approximately 200 million naira, so we are looking at helping about 120 people, which translates to about 240 hearing aids.”

The HearMax Initiative is dedicated to ear and hearing care and is Nigeria’s first charity organization in this field. It was established in response to the rising incidence of hearing loss in Nigeria, with the World Health Organization reporting that 8.5 million Nigerians suffer from hearing loss. The initiative aims to provide accessible care, particularly to children, and address preventable causes of hearing loss.

Regarding the challenges of importing hearing aids into the country, Dr. Ibraheem called for government intervention to waive duty fees on these devices, which are donated by international partners. He stressed the need for the government to subsidize hearing aids or order them in bulk to make them affordable to those in need.

Mr. Lukman Abiodun of Inqaba Biotech highlighted the importance of early intervention for children with hearing challenges to support their education and social development. He urged all levels of government to provide hearing aids to primary schools and support initiatives like this one to combat hearing loss in society.

Beneficiaries, including Alhaji Abdul Lateef Gbadamosi, Mrs. Akintomide Damilola, and George Ayatasua, commended the HearMax Initiative and its partners for bringing this valuable program to Ibadan. They called on government authorities at all levels to replicate such initiatives for the betterment of society.