The number of people in Africa living with hearing loss could rise to 54 million by 2030, up from 40 million today, unless urgent measures are taken, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a report published on Monday.
Hearing loss already costs the continent $27 million annually, exacting profound impact on lives and economies, according to the report, which was launched at the African Summit on Hearing Impairment in Nairobi, Kenya.
Widespread hearing loss disproportionately affects poor and vulnerable populations. WHO warned that without urgent interventions it will continue to escalate, amplifying existing inequalities in access to health services.
