The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 430 million people, or 5 percent of the world’s population, require rehabilitation to address their hearing disability. In the Philippines, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Medicine and Surgery reported that in 2020, the prevalence of moderate to severe hearing loss would be at an alarming 15 percent.
Apart from the disability, hearing loss can snowball and lead to various other negative side effects. It affects the learning and emotional development of children and young adults. It can lead to social isolation, loneliness, and stigma among adults. And among the elderly, more recent research reports that hearing loss is one of the top risk factors for dementia.
But why are more people becoming deaf in the first place? How can we tell if a person is becoming deaf? Can this be detected at an early age?
This Friday, August 26, from 12nn to 2 pm, the University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), National Telehealth Center (NTC), and cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), would like to invite you to join the fight against C.O.V.I.D—current COVID-19 problems, other outbreaks, viruses, infections, and disasters.
In this episode titled, “THE SILENT EPIDEMIC OF DEAFNESS: Dumadami ba ang nabibingi?,” we take on a neglected and poorly understood epidemic that has been silently affecting millions of Filipinos.
Dr. Charlotte Chiong, Dean of the UP College of Medicine and one of the country’s leading experts, will discuss the landscape of deafness in the Philippines and how frontline workers can support efforts to help prevent it.
Philippine National Ear Institute Director Erasmo Gonzalo Llanes will also share practical tips on preventing hearing loss.
Register here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account, TVUP’s YouTube channel, and Facebook page. Join us this Friday as we unpack the barriers to addressing the epidemic of deafness.
The award-winning UP “Stop COVID Deaths” Webinar Series is the Philippines’ first and only frontline-focused medical webinar series. It pioneered the discussion, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge on COVID-19 treatment and management. Follow our accounts to stay connected with your credible online community.
