About 9.6 percent of the country’s population are living with hearing impairments of varying degrees, while 1.2 percent suffering from the complete loss of hearing, according to a national survey published on Tuesday.
The national survey was conducted by the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) with assistance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) from January to May in 2013.
Medical experts at the launching of the survey report at a city hotel also noted that the rate of hearing impairment of people below 15 years of age in the country is 2.5 percent higher than the South Asian average.
They also noted that 50 percent of the people living with hearing impairment can be cured by proper treatment.
Chaired by BSMMU vice chancellor Prof Dr. Pran Gopal Dutta, the launching was also addressed by Posts, Telecommunication and ICT Minister Abdul Latif Siddique and WHO country representative Dr Khaled Hasan.
Source: UNB Connect
