About 8.4 percent of children below 15 years suffer some level of hearing loss in the Asokore Mampong municipality.

This is mainly attributed to insertion of objects in the ears and slapping as a form of domestic punishment.

A physician audiologist has appealed to the government to implement a neonatal hearing assessment policy to curtail hearing impairment in the Ashanti Region.

Delays in the identification and treatment of permanent childhood hearing impairment may significantly affect quality of life. 

The community-based survey conducted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in the Asokore Mampong municipality was to create awareness on neonatal hearing impairment.

Physician audiologist, Dr. Akosua Agyemang-Prempeh, believes the policy, if implemented, will help in the screening of newborn babies at health centers to prevent hearing loss from birth.

“In the Western countries, as soon as a child is born, a hearing test is done, and they have a policy that every child born, has to do a hearing test called neonatal hearing assessment, but in Ghana we don’t have this policy and it’s a challenge, we need to have that policy in Ghana,” she said.

Asokore Mampong Municipal Director of Health, Rev. Solomon Anum-Doku, advised parents to desist from treating paediatric hearing impairment at home.

“Parents abuse children by slapping them with the little provocation and some of the children introduce foreign, all these can cause hearing impairment. 

Anytime you notice a change in your child visit a health center instead of self medication,” he said.

The Rotary Club of Kumasi Nhyiaeso joined forces with the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to screen more children in the Asokore Mampong municipality for further treatment. 

The Kumasi Paediatric Hearing Assessment and Management project was launched in the municipality as part of efforts to curtail the menace.

“We launched this project to create the awareness of hearing deformity amongst children and hopefully get them connected to the Komfo Anokye teaching hospital for assessment and management 

We’re hoping to have a center in the name of this project,” Kofi Benteh, President of the Rotary Club of Kumasi Nhyiaeso, noted.

The project is in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Pleasant Valley, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST),and the Asokore Mampong Municipal Health Directorate.