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10/13/2017  |   3:30 PM - 5:30 PM   |  West Ballroom at Shalala Student Services Building

The State of Ear and Hearing Care; Situation Analysis of six sub-Saharan Africa Countries

Objective: EHC systems vary broadly in status. Countries with similar levels of income, education and health expenditure differ in their ability to attain important hearing health goals. We utilized the WHO EHCSAT framework to advance the understanding of EHC system performance and to assess the status in six sub-Saharan African countries. Design: Comparison of data collected with WHO EHCSAT Setting: Six sub-Saharan Africa countries; from Western, Eastern and Southern parts of Africa- Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi & Zambia Outcome measure: Each country’s performance in the six domains of functional health system capacity as it relates to EHC; Leadership and governance; Service delivery; Health workforce; Medical products and Health Technology; Health financing; Health information & research were evaluated. Results: Most of the countries reviewed have a government-led committee or appointed coordinator for EHC but no national strategy or plan for EHC, EHC services are available in limited centers at the Tertiary level only not at primary and secondary levels. There are available educational and professional training facilities for EHC workers, but they are inadequate to provide the needed human resources. Hearing aid and cochlear implant services are available but not accessible to the majority; part of the expenses for EHC are covered through government led financing scheme, but it is still not affordable to the majority. There is government led health-information system in most countries, but they do not include EHC indicators. Conclusion: Despite the differences in healthcare systems, the status of EHC in sub-Saharan African countries is similar and far from what is available in high resource settings. There are more similarities in the challenges faced in all the six domains than differences and the most significant policy implication of these findings is the need for increased political will of countries to advance the cause of EHC in sub-Saharan Africa.

• • Discuss the components of Assessment of healthcare capacity as it relates to the World Health Organization Ear and Hearing Care Situation Analysis Tool (EHCSAT)
• • Recognize the actual state of Ear care and Hearing health in sub-Saharan Africa
• • Compare the differences in the status of ear and hearing care in sub-Saharan Africa to other parts of the world

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Luqman Lawal (POC,Primary Presenter), Starkey Hearing Foundation/ University of Minnesota SPH, Luqman_Lawal@starkeyfoundation.org;
Luqman Lawal MD, MPH is a Public health Physician who serves as the Director of Global health and Research at the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Isaac Mucharia (Co-Presenter,Co-Author), University of Nairobi, immuthure@gmail.com;
Professor of ENT surgery

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Titus Ibekwe (Co-Author), University of Abuja, Nigeria, ibekwets@yahoo.com;
Titus S.IBEKWE MD,FWACS, FMCORL, FICS is an Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology in the College of Health Sciences University of Abuja and an Honorary Consultant at the UNIABUJA Teaching Hospital. His field of interest is on Preventable Hearing Loss and Infectious Diseases. Titus has over 40 publications in local and international journals to his credit. An advocacy of good clinical practice and Legislation, he is currently the National Vice President of Nigerian Medical Association, Chairman Legislative committee of the same body & members Infectious disease Committee of the American Academy of Otorhinolaryngolgy Head & Neck Foundation.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Malick Diop (Co-Author), emdiop9@gmail.com;

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Kaitesi Mukara (Co-Author), Kigali University Teaching Hospital, kaibat@hotmail.com;
Biography Dr. Mukara Batamuliza Kaitesi is a Rwandese Otolaryngologist and Audiologist . She is a senior Lecturer at the University of Rwanda’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences in the School of Medicine and Pharmacy. Kaitesi is the Head of ENT department, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Rwanda. She is also a CARTA fellow and a DAAD scholar pursuing a PhD in Public health at Makerere University, Uganda. Her research interest is audio-otology with a bias in primary health promotion and prevention interventions as well as advocacy and policies for ear and hearing health. She holds an MSc in Audiology from the University of Southampton in the UK, a Masters of Medicine degree in Ear Nose and Throat, Head and Neck Surgery from University of Nairobi in Kenya prior to which she was awarded a degree in Human Medicine from the now University of Rwanda.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Wakisa Mulwafu, MBBS, FCORL (Co-Author), TBA, wakisamulwafu@gmail.com;
TBA

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.

Alfred Mwamba (Co-Author), Starkey Hearing Foundation, alfred.tennis@gmail.com;
An Audiologist who is the Director of the Starkey Hearing Institute.

ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -

AAA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exists.