By Chioma Obinna,

Irked by the plight of Nigerians with hearing impairment, MTN Foundation will next month commence distribution of 1,500 top of the range hearing aid devices, under its Hearing Aids Support Project (HASP), to successful beneficiaries in Akwa Ibom, Benue, Lagos, Bauchi, Katsina and Anambra.

The HASP is designed to provide hearing aids to hearing impaired persons, including children from six months old.

Speaking at the inspection of the devices, the Country Director, International Centre for Prevention of Deafness and Rehabilitation of Hearing Impaired Persons (ICPDRHIP), Dr. Eneche Audu, said the distribution of these devices to beneficiaries in these states will no doubt bring succour and enable them live a normal and more fulfilling life.

Eneche further said  from recent data from the WHO, over 5 percent of the world’s population – 360 million people – have disabling hearing loss (328 million adults and 32 million children). “We, at the ICPDRHIP, are happy to contribute our resources in conjunction with MTN Foundation and the Government of these six states to help reduce the number in the little way we can.”

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, said, “MTN Foundation is immensely committed to the inclusion of hearing impaired people into the society and enhancing their participation in social and economic activities. We are really pleased to champion this project as it enables us to compliment government’s efforts to help restore, hearing to people with hearing disabilities across Nigeria.”

The Hearing Aid Support Project is  one of the initiatives that provide appliances and aids to persons with disability.

Others are the Disability Support Project (DSP) that provides wheelchairs, crutches, Braille machines and other mobility aids to persons with disability across Nigeria.