More than 95 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 are living with unaddressed hearing loss, with over 80% lacking access to essential ear and hearing care, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported on World Hearing Day.
Highlighting the theme From communities to classrooms: Hearing care for all children, the agency urged governments, civil society, and partners across health and education sectors to take urgent action to protect children’s hearing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the burden is highest, including regions of Africa and South-East Asia.
WHO outlined key actions to address this growing concern, including promoting good ear and hearing practices as part of school health programmes to prevent hearing loss, integrating ear and hearing screening into schools and community health systems with clear referral pathways, and empowering teachers, parents, health workers, and children with accurate information and practical tools.
“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, WHO Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health.
She added, “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 well-being, and future livelihoods.”
Untreated hearing loss can have far-reaching consequences, experts say. It can delay speech and language development, hinder cognitive growth, and limit social interaction, often leading to poorer educational outcomes, reduced employment prospects, and long-term economic disadvantage.
WHO stresses that prevention of avoidable hearing loss, early identification, and timely intervention are critical to improving outcomes for children, and that strengthening primary health care systems to include ear and hearing services is key.
To support countries, WHO has developed technical resources including implementation handbooks for school-age vision and hearing screening, hearing screening considerations, and approaches for delivering hearing aid services in low- and middle-income settings.
The agency is also launching WHOears, a free mobile application for iOS and Android, designed to enable trained individuals to conduct hearing screening for children in schools and communities, expanding access beyond traditional clinic settings.
“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, "she added.
WHO emphasises that integrating these tools and interventions into national health systems could significantly narrow the gap in hearing care access and improve the futures of millions of children worldwide.
This report highlights the urgent need for coordinated action to ensure that every child has access to essential ear and hearing care.