Alarming Rate of Hearing Disorders Amongst Nigerians

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Vanguard Nigeria reported that a “Professor of Otorhinolaryngology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Professor Abayomi Somefun, has raised alarm over high prevalence of hearing disorder, disclosing that over 8.5 million of the population suffer from the problem. Somefun identified children as the most vulnerable group to ear defects. He said no fewer than 3.5 million Nigerian children have hearing problems. “The most recent survey on National survey on hearing impairment and deafness in Nigeria shows that about 3.5 million children within the age of 0 to 15 years are affected with Disabling Hearing Impairment, DHI, while those aged 16 to 90 years account for 5 million of the burden.” Speaking at the 2016 International Conference of the Speech Pathologist and Audiologist in Nigeria, SPAAN, held in Lagos, Somefun said lack of diagnostic and rehabilitative equipment, coupled with inadequate manpower and training facilities in the country, worsen the situation. “Nigeria, with a population of over 170 million has about 250 Ear, Nose and Throat, ENT, surgeons, less than 50 audiologists, and less than 50 Speech Therapists. In the whole country, we have only 10 equipped audiological centres and they are all in private practice.” Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/8-5m-nigerians-suffer-hearing-disorder-shomefun/

While there are other causes of hearing loss, noise pollution is one of the major causes. Read more on the sources of noise pollution and their effects in Nigeria.

http://www.law.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/private/ho_ijaiya/14.pdf. This paper also examines how environmental law and other relevant sources of law try to tackle noise pollution in the country.