Despite having highly trained medical staff and the world’s most advanced facilities, Saudi

Arabia continues to see an increasing number of people suffering from hearing problems.

Dr. Saleem Mahmood, a Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist said, “The most effective treatment is achieved through early intervention, early diagnosis, and early start of special education programs which can help maximize a child’s hearing.”

“Parents are the first people to notice that their child has a hearing problem,” he said adding that it is essential to identify the signs of hearing loss in infants as early as possible.

According to recent statistics, 3 percent of the Saudi population suffer from hearing difficulties, which is equivalent to 750,000 individuals while the Kingdom needs 1,000 electronic cochlear implants annually to treat patients with hearing disabilities.

Referring to the growing number of people suffering from hearing disorders, Dr. Abdulrahman Hagr, director of King Abdullah Ear Specialist Center (KAESC) called for early detection of hearing problems in newborns, and the need to increase awareness and change social attitudes about handling deafness.

“A Cochlear implant is a good procedure,” said Hagr. He explained that it is an electronic device which restores partial hearing to individuals with severe to profound deafness and adults, and children who do not benefit from the conventional hearing aid. The cochlear device is surgically implanted in the inner ear and activated by a device worn outside the ear.

Some medical experts speaking at a conference recently, said that awareness of the societal and personal implications of hearing disabilities would subsequently improve prevention and care.

Prince Sultan Research Chair of Hearing Disabilities and Implantable Devices (RCHD) also plays an important role which aims to enhance community awareness about hearing impairments and solutions.

International health organization estimates of the hard-of-hearing and deaf population range from 300 to 600 million, with one organization predicting the number to reach 900 million by 2025.