Nepal testing hearing of a baby © IMPACT
The Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation provided a grant of £60,000 in 2007/08.
Hearing impairment is often known as the ‘silent disability’ because it is frequently neglected. The World Health Organisation estimates that 278 million people in our world are affected by moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears; 80% of them live in low or middle income countries.
Hearing impairment hinders the development of speech, language and cognitive skills in children and causes social isolation in adults. However, 50% is avoidable through early detection, treatment and appropriate management (for example, the provision of a hearing aid).
The Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation’s most recent grant is enabling IMPACT to purchase vital items of ENT (ear, nose and throat) equipment for careful diagnosis of the type and causes of a person’s hearing impairment, which means that the appropriate treatment can be administered to prevent a lifetime of needless disability.
This equipment is for the National Centre for Primary Ear Care in Kathmandu, Nepal, and an ENT Centre in Northern Mindanao, Phillipines both of which IMPACT helped to establish. Hearing impairment is the biggest cause of disability in Nepal and ear disease is rife in both countries. Few people have access to the medical care they need to save their hearing which makes IMPACT’s action vitally important.
Visit the IMPACT Foundation website. 