Action for hearing loss: Make a sound investment

On 1 March, MEPs Helga Stevens (ECR) and Roberta Metsola (EPP) hosted a lunch debate in the European Parliament titled, “Action for hearing loss: Make a sound investment”.

The event took place on the fringes of the annual World Hearing Day organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Dr Shelly Chadha, from the WHO said, “We are focusing on the economic impact of hearing loss […] to highlight this issue of the cost which unaddressed hearing loss posses and how these costs can be mitigated by addressing hearing loss”.

According to MEP Roberta Metsola, high rates of social isolation have a high financial cost to society. “It would benefit us all,” Metsola said, “to ensure the full inclusion within the employment sector […] of persons with hearing loss”.

Around 16% of adult Europeans experience hearing loss severe enough to have a negative impact on their daily lives. Importantly, people who are aware of their hearing loss are able to take better control of their health, and learn how they can live their lives in a way that is not only healthier but also smarter.

The event was organised in cooperation with the European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers’ Association (EHIMA), the European Association of Hearing Aid Professionals (AEA), and the European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH).