On World Hearing Day, under the theme From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children, WHO is urging governments, civil society, and partners across the health and education sectors to take urgent action to protect children's hearing. Key actions include:
- promoting good ear and hearing practices as part of school health programmes to prevent hearing loss;
- integrating ear and hearing screening into school and community health programmes, with clear referral pathways; and
- empowering teachers, parents, health workers, and children with accurate information and practical tools.
Globally, over 95 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years live with unaddressed hearing loss and without access to needed services. Recently published WHO and Global Burden of Disease data show that this prevalence is disproportionately higher in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in the regions of Africa and South-East Asia.
Addressing hearing loss through evidence-based interventions
WHO provides countries with technical resources to support ear and hearing care, including:
- Hearing screening: considerations for implementation ;
- Vision and hearing screening for school-age children: implementation handbook ; and
- Hearing aid service delivery approaches for low- and middle-income settings .
WHO has also developed training resources to equip health workers with the skills to identify and manage common ear and hearing problems and refer patients to higher levels of care, when needed. Integrating these tools into national health care systems can significantly narrow the gap in hearing care access.
And coming soon, a comprehensive package of evidence-based interventions, designed for use across primary health care and WHOears, a free mobile application for iOS and Android platforms to support the implementation of hearing screening programmes in schools and in communities. By enabling trained individuals to conduct hearing screening for children in schools and community settings, the app will expand access beyond traditional clinic settings and strengthen early identification efforts.
"WHO estimates that nearly 60% of ear and hearing problems could be prevented or treated at local health clinics with trained health workers and availability of required equipment, medicines, and hearing devices," said Ms Dévora Kestel, Director a.i., WHO Department of noncommunicable diseases and mental health. "Yet today, over 80% of the people who need ear and hearing care do not receive it. This gap has serious consequences for children affecting their education, psychological wellbeing, and future livelihoods."
Impact of untreated hearing loss
Untreated hearing loss affects more than just a child's ability to hear. It can delay speech and language development, hinder cognitive growth, and limit social interaction. These challenges often lead to poorer educational outcomes, reduced employment prospects, and long-term economic disadvantage.
Prevention of avoidable hearing loss, early identification and timely intervention are critical to improving outcomes for children with hearing loss. Strengthening primary health care systems to include ear and hearing services ensures that children receive the care they need, when they need it.
For children already living with hearing problems, timely access to cost-effective, evidence-based interventions—including medicines, surgery, hearing aids, cochlear implants, rehabilitative therapy, sign language, and other assistive technologies like loop systems and captioning—can prevent long-term consequences and enable full participation in school and community life.
"Communities and school settings provide a natural and effective platform to reach children with both preventive measures and early care," said Dr Shelly Chadha, WHO Team lead for eye, ear, and oral health. "With practical and affordable solutions now available, no child should be left behind due to unaddressed ear and hearing problems."
