Message from WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi
Today, on World Hearing Day 2026, we join the global community in recognizing the importance of ear and hearing care, and in reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that every child in Africa can learn, communicate and thrive without preventable barriers.
Hearing loss is a growing public health challenge. Globally, more than 1.5 billion people live with some degree of hearing loss, and nearly 40 million people in the African Region are affected by disabling hearing loss. The burden falls disproportionately on low- and middle-income countries, where access to prevention, early detection and care remains limited.
This year’s theme, From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children, reminds us that the foundation of life-long health and opportunity begins in childhood. Hearing is essential for communication, but also for speech and language development, learning and social interaction.
Too often, hearing loss remains misunderstood or overlooked. Children who cannot hear clearly may be wrongly labelled as difficult, inattentive or slow, when in reality they are facing a preventable and treatable health condition. Without early identification and support, hearing loss can affect educational achievement, limit future opportunities, and contribute to social exclusion.
Much of this burden can be prevented. Up to 60% of childhood hearing loss is avoidable through simple, cost-effective public health measures. Conditions such as ear infections and impacted earwax can often be detected early and managed effectively within primary health care settings. Early identification and timely care enable children to participate fully at school and in society.
Schools provide a powerful platform for early detection and intervention. Integrating hearing screening into school health programmes enables timely identification of hearing challenges, referral to appropriate services, and support for children’s full participation in education. This approach aligns with WHO’s Health Promoting Schools framework, which promotes health education, safe environments, and strong partnerships between families, schools and health services.
The WHO Regional Office for Africa is committed to supporting Member States to strengthen ear and hearing care within national health systems. We will continue to support countries to scale up services by providing WHO guidance and technical resources, including tools such as the Vision and hearing screening for school-age children: implementation handbook. These materials help countries develop and implement evidence-informed policies and programmes that expand access to care.
WHO is also providing direct country support to integrate ear and hearing care into primary health care, including through the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions (WHO PEN). Strengthening services at this level ensures that prevention, early detection and treatment reach communities where they are needed most.
On this World Hearing Day, I call on governments, partners, educators, communities and families to prioritize ear and hearing care as part of broader efforts to strengthen child health, education and inclusion. By investing in prevention, early detection and care, we can protect children’s ability to learn, communicate and reach their full potential.
Together, we can ensure that no child in Africa is left behind because of preventable hearing loss.
Together, we can build a future where every child has the opportunity to hear, to learn and to succeed.
Learn more:
- World Hearing Day 2026
- Primary prevention and integrated care for sensory impairments including vision impairment and hearing loss, across the life course
- Ear and hearing care: WHO African Region | WHO | Regional Office for Africa
- Status report on ear and hearing care in the WHO African Region