MTN Foundation sets to reduce hearing impairment in Nigeria
In a bid to supporting the efforts of the Nigerian government at empowering Nigerians living with disabilities, the MTN Foundation recently took delivery of 1,500 top of the range hearing aid devices, under its Hearing Aids Support Project (HASP), to be distributed in six states across the country.
The HASP is designed to provide hearing aids to hearing impaired persons, including children from six months old.
The distribution of the devises to successful beneficiaries will commence in April 2016, in Akwa Ibom, Benue, Lagos, Bauchi, Katsina and Anambra.
Speaking at the inspection of the devices, the Country Director, International Center for Prevention of Deafness and Rehabilitation of Hearing Impaired Persons (ICPDRHIP), Dr. Eneche Audu, lauded project, saying that, “the distribution of these devices to beneficiaries in these states will no doubt bring succour and enable them live a normal and more fulfilling life.”
Eneche said, according to recent data from the WHO, over 5 per cent of the world’s population – 360 million people – have disabling hearing loss (328 million adults and 32 million children).
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, said, “MTNF is immensely committed to the inclusion of hearing impaired people into the society and enhancing their participation in social and economic activities. We are really pleased to champion this project as it enables us to complement government’s efforts to help restore, hearing to people with hearing disabilities across Nigeria.”
The HASP is one of the many MTNF initiatives that provides appliances and aids to persons with disability.
Prominent among these initiatives is the Disability Support Project (DSP) that provides wheelchairs, crutches, Braille machines and other mobility aids to persons with disability across Nigeria.
This year, the Foundation has already distributed hearing assessment forms and is set to conduct audiometric test for shortlisted potential beneficiaries.
