WHO, FG, Katsina renew support for Suleiman Hearing/Educational Foundation
By Faith Awa Maji, Katsina
AS the World celebrates 2021 World Hearing Day, World Health Organization (WHO), Federal and Katsina State Governments have renewed their unalloyed support to Suleiman Hearing and Educational Foundation (SHEF) to boost its coverage.
They made their positions known Wednesday at a symposium on State of Ear and Hearing Care in Katsina State and Launching of World report on hearing, organized by SHEF at the conference hall of Federal Medical Centre, Katsina State.
Suleiman Hearing and Educational Foundation is a non-governmental organization established 13 years ago with the aims of providing hearing ability to Nigerians living with hearing disability and education to less privileged.
Since inception, the NGO has supported more than 3000 Nigerians in North West Nigeria in the area of free hearing screening, hearing aids and surgeries through partnership with NGO and Katsina State Government.
Speaking at the event, Engr. Maimaje Ibrahim Abdullahi advocated the need for provision of trained professionals in all health care centres across Katsina State.
He called on the Katsina government to be the first state government to implement National Policy and Strategic Plan on Ear and Hearing Care for effective health care services.
The representative of WHO and other NGO in Katsina State, Dr Zeenat Asmau said the foundation has done a lot hence all the needed support would be given to fast track its implementation.
“It is a welcome development, and we are ready to give whatever support to the organization”.
On his part the Katsina State Commissioner of Health, Engr. Yakubu Nuhu Danja, commended the foundation for the initiative and promised to collaborate with relevant bodies to implement all the necessary recommendations made at the event.
Also speaking, the representative of Chief Medical Director, FMC, Dr Suleiman Bello Muhammad said it will be out of place to see the foundation operating in an isolation hence the hospital is ready to join hands to create an enabled environment for it to operate.
“We will soon borrow a lead from this foundation to bring our awareness on some diseases”.
Earlier on his part, the Director of Hearing Mission, SHEF, Dr. Sulaiman Abdulmajeed Olayinka said the event which is part of the activities to mark 2021 World Hearing Day.
He noted that it was also to create awareness on prevention of deafness and encourage governments to take hearing as one of its core responsibilities and policies in the health system.
Dr Suleiman urged government at all levels to take timely action in preventing hearing impairment among people of all ages.
“Our target is to support 5000 Nigerians in 5 yrs which is an average of 1000 per year and training of 40 health workers yearly in primary ear care”.
Dr. Sulaiman Olayinka again called for the appointment of Desk Officers for ear and hearing care in Katsina State to work with the National Desk Officer at the Federal Ministry of Health.
World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. Each year, WHO decides the theme and develops evidence-based advocacy materials such as brochures, flyers, posters, banners, infographics and presentations, among others.
This year’s theme is “Hearing Care for All”
