Residents in the Nausori- Nakasi area received free ear screening tests by the Frank Hilton Organisation yesterday.

The organisation, in conjunction with the World Health Organisation had organised the event to raise awareness and conduct free screenings for people in light of the celebration of World Hearing Day yesterday.

The theme for this year is “Check Your Hearing” and to drive the message home Frank Hilton’s Audiology Clinician Sevanaia Ratumaitavuki said the organisation saw it fit to organise the event for people.

“For every blind person, there are three people with hearing problems, that’s the ratio in Fiji and it goes on to show how much of a concern it is,” he said.

“We did the awareness and we also conducted screenings.

“Those who fail the screening process here, will have to come back to our clinic for a full test.”

He said the challenge in Fiji was the lack of awareness on hearing disabilities and they aimed to address that with community outreach programmes.

“We do our screening tours, we have done screening projects in Savusavu and Labasa,” Mr Ratumaitavuki said.

“Last year we did it in Levuka also so this year we are targeting Kadavu and Taveuni.”

All ear screenings and treatments are free of cost for children up to the age of 18 at the Frank Hilton Organisation and Mr Ratumaitavuki has urged parents to have their children tested if they suspected any hearing impairments.

“If you have children who have not started talking at the right age, and you suspect that they are not hearing well please contact our office,” he said.

“It is better to intervene at a young age.” Mr Ratumaitavuki added there were simple things  that people were not aware of which was why raising awareness was so important.

“Simple things such as not using cotton buds. You do not have to clean your ears the ear clears by itself and if you feel you have blocked ears, please go to the nearest health centre,”  he said.

Also at the event yesterday was one of the only two Ear Nose and Throat Specialists in Fiji Dr. Oh, who is a volunteer with KOICA.

Edited by Percy Kean

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