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Integrating ear and hearing care into health systems

The profile and causes of hearing loss vary greatly across and within regions, as does the availability of infrastructure and resources to address it. It is important that each country develop its own strategic plan to deal with hearing loss and its causes. A national ear and hearing care strategy should seek to reduce the prevalence, incidence and impact of hearing loss in the community, through public health approaches that are integrated with the country’s health system and service delivery.

The ear and hearing care TOOLKIT is a package of complete guidance for Member States and other partners to integrate ear and hearing care into national and subnational health systems. The toolkit provides materials that will aid in development and implementation of ear and hearing care services. 

Planning

The development of a holistic and integrated strategic plan is the first step towards provision of effective and sustainable ear and hearing care services. The available tools include:

 

Ear and hearing care: indicators for monitoring provision of services

As part of this toolkit, WHO is preparing a series of validated technical support tools appropriate for different aspects of hearing care provision,...

Ear and hearing care: situation analysis tool

The situation analysis tool facilitates this first step of planning for ear and hearing care. It is intended to help attain the following objectives: ...

Awareness and advocacy

A handbook on advocacy is under development

 

 

 

 

Rehabilitation and assistive technology

Survey and screening

Hearing screening: considerations for implementation

The World report on hearing recommends that WHO Member States take urgent and evidence-based policy action to prevent, identify and rehabilitate hearing...

WHO ear and hearing: survey handbook

This survey handbook was developed using a consultative process, which was coordinated by WHO’s team on ‘Sensory functions; Disability; and...

Training and capacity building

Basic ear and hearing care resource

In many places there is a lack of services and trained workers to prevent and treat ear diseases and help people with hearing loss. People themselves are...

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