At a news conference, Malta, one of the smallest member states of the European Union, was described as a unique model for international countries when it comes to free hearing tests. This was stated by Patrick D’Haese, International Coordinator of the Hearing Health Forum.
During the conference, the Minister for Inclusion, Volunteering and Consumer Rights Julia Farrugia Portelli said that this certificate for our country at European level is thanks to the pro-active work of the pilot project of free hearing tests which, together with MEP Alex Agius Saliba, were taken over the past year.
Through four centers around Malta, the pilot project led by the Maltese Audiological Association, showed that out of 515 hearing tests performed, 41% of the participants were found to have a hearing impairment. During the sessions residents from around 24 different localities came forward to take these hearing tests.
Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli announced that following the pilot project, called Hearing Care for All, a nationwide awareness campaign will be launched in the coming months to raise awareness on how to prevent loss. hearing from an early age and we welcome the social exclusion that this condition brings. Minister Farrugia Portelli said that hand in hand the pilot project will be continued with more hearing tests in other villages.
Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli pointed out how this national campaign and the hearing tests will further strengthen the Government’s commitment to comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) global campaign to raise awareness of how prevent hearing loss and promote ear care and hearing worldwide.
The Minister mentioned how this is the reality so much so that during the pilot project she met people who were not leaving their homes due to this condition.
Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli called on European countries to follow in our country’s footsteps and be pro-active when it comes to testing to prevent hearing loss and continue to build an inclusive global society. “With the facts we want our country to continue to be the face of inclusion,” concluded Minister Farrugia Portelli.
Euro-Parliaments and Vice-President of the Group of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament Alex Agius Saliba stated that through the data collected in the pilot project carried out in recent months, for the first time in Malta has a clear idea of how this problem is affecting the lives of many Maltese. He went on to say that this is why together with the Ministry for Inclusion he felt the need that on a local basis there is a need for the Maltese people to continue to raise awareness about these conditions so that then the state can continue. it works to see that these people are still integrated in the best possible way into our society.
The President of the Malta Association of Audiologists Andrew Sciberras explained the importance of this national campaign where he said that the pro-active work will be yielding positive results in the future. “Through hearing tests in other localities and an awareness campaign, more people will have the opportunity to take the necessary and immediate steps to prevent hearing loss and to be excluded from society because of this. the condition “, stressed Sciberras.
