Nine percent of Lankans have hearing problem

Nadira Gunatilleke

About nine percent of Sri Lanka's total population suffers from some sort of hearing problem. At present, 10 percent of the total population are elders. Three percent of elders suffer from hearing problems. The public should be concerned about a sudden increase in hearing disorders which can create other complications, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman the statistics had been collected during a survey conducted by the WHO in 2001 covering 50 MOH Divisions in Sri Lanka. By 2030, over 22 per cent of Sri Lanka's total population will be elders. "Elders' health care service should be further expanded to cater to the growing ageing population," the spokesman said .

"The Health Ministry has commenced a programme to educate elders on hearing disorders to mark Ear and Hearing Day, declared by the World Health Organisation, which annually falls on March 3. This year, attention will be focused on protecting the hearing ability of elders," he said.

This is the first Ear and Hearing Day to be celebrated in Sri Lanka.