On World Hearing Day, under the theme “From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children,” the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on governments, civil society, and partners in the health and education sectors to take urgent steps to protect children’s hearing. The organization emphasizes the need to promote healthy ear and hearing practices within school health programmes, integrate hearing screening into schools and community health services with clear referral systems, and equip teachers, parents, health workers, and children with accurate information and practical tools.
Globally, more than 95 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 live with unaddressed hearing loss and lack access to necessary services. Recent data from WHO and the Global Burden of Disease study show that the burden is significantly higher in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and South-East Asia. These disparities highlight the urgent need for equitable access to prevention, early detection, and treatment services.
To support countries, WHO has developed a range of technical resources aimed at strengthening ear and hearing care. These include guidance on hearing screening implementation, handbooks for vision and hearing screening among school-age children, and service delivery approaches for hearing aids in resource-limited settings. Training materials have also been created to help health workers identify and manage common ear and hearing conditions and refer patients when specialized care is required. Integrating these tools into national health systems can significantly reduce gaps in access.
WHO is also preparing to launch a comprehensive package of evidence-based interventions for primary health care settings, along with WHOears, a free mobile application designed to support hearing screening in schools and communities. The app will enable trained personnel to conduct screenings outside traditional clinical settings, expanding access and strengthening early identification of hearing problems.
According to WHO estimates, nearly 60 percent of ear and hearing problems could be prevented or treated at local health clinics if trained staff and essential equipment are available. However, more than 80 percent of those in need currently do not receive care. This shortfall has serious consequences for children, affecting their education, mental well-being, and future economic opportunities.
Untreated hearing loss can delay speech and language development, impair cognitive growth, and restrict social interaction. These challenges often lead to poorer academic performance, limited employment prospects, and long-term economic disadvantage. Strengthening primary health care systems to include ear and hearing services is therefore critical to ensuring timely care.
For children already experiencing hearing loss, access to cost-effective and evidence-based interventions—such as medicines, surgery, hearing aids, cochlear implants, rehabilitation therapy, sign language, and assistive technologies—can prevent long-term impacts and enable full participation in school and community life. WHO stresses that with practical and affordable solutions now available, communities and schools provide effective platforms to ensure no child is left behind due to preventable or untreated hearing problems.
