Chennai, Oct 14:
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) on Tuesday hosted the 16th International Conference of the Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CGHH), the first time the international event is being held in India. Nearly 250 delegates from 27 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas are participating in the three-day conference to discuss global challenges and advances in hearing healthcare, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Inaugurating the conference, Tamil Nadu Government Secretary Dr. Darez Ahamed said more than 430 million people worldwide require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss, while nearly 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable. He highlighted the State’s support for cochlear implants under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, which has benefited more than 4,000 children, and called for greater collaboration between industry and researchers. Dr. Shelly Chadha, Technical Lead for Ear and Hearing Care at the World Health Organization, highlighted India’s National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness and Tamil Nadu’s efforts to strengthen community-level hearing care.
The conference features discussions on screening, rehabilitation, public health systems, affordable technologies and community-based services. Workshops and presentations by researchers, start-ups and non-governmental organisations will explore innovative approaches to early detection, intervention, family empowerment, rehabilitation and the social inclusion of people with hearing loss.