The Ida Institute recently attended a series of meetings at the World Health Organization’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Among these was the second Stakeholders’ meeting for the WHO programme on prevention of deafness and hearing loss. The two-day meeting included discussions on the World Health Assembly’s resolution on hearing loss; the WHO’s activities around hearing; strategies for global action on hearing loss; and a review of the effectiveness of World Hearing Day, held annually on March 3. Stakeholders also discussed studies that could be conducted to better understand the scope of hearing loss around the world, how evidence-based advocacy can increase awareness both for World Hearing Day and the Make Listening Safe initiative, and what member states can do to support these efforts.
In connection with the Stakeholders meeting, the WHO also organized an ad hoc consultation on advocacy tools for ear and hearing care. The consultation aimed to begin developing a handbook for effective advocacy on ear and hearing care and what tools and components would be effective for raising awareness. Ida Managing Director Lise Lotte Bundesen gave a presentation on raising awareness about hearing loss and the results of the Ida Institute’s own campaign for this year’s World Hearing Day. She also shared the submissions from our Ideas Worth Hearing contest, and the results it has generated over the last five years.
We would like to thank the WHO for the invitation to share our work and our fellow attendees for their time and interest in our work. We’re looking forward to the developments that will follow.