Four in every 1,000 babies born in India suffer from severe to profound hearing loss, according to a release from Cochlear quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The global prevalence of hearing impairment is on the rise though many causes are preventable, it said. Over 5% of the world’s population suffers from profound hearing loss, and 34 million of those are children. If things stay the way they are, 900 million people will suffer from profound hearing loss by 2050, Cochlear said.
The release said that over 2.35 lakh people in Karnataka suffer from profound hearing impairment as per the 2011 Census.
‘Awareness needed’
ENT consultant of Columbia Asia Dathathri H.A. said there was a lack of awareness about hearing loss, its causes and signs, and of how and when to seek treatment. Hearing loss can now be detected at birth itself, thanks to technology, he said.
He said the Centre has been supporting implant surgery but not everyone was getting it done because of the costs, which range from Rs. 7.5 lakh to Rs. 16 lakh. Approximately 600 implant surgeries are done annually in the country, but the list of people awaiting implants is long, he said, adding that more assistance was needed for increasing the number of surgeries.
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