Cases of Deafness Hit 2.2 million
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri

REPORTED CASES of nerve deafness, a common hearing problem have reached an alarming estimate of 2.2 million nationwide.
The medical problem which is caused by the inability of the nerve (a fine organ in the inner ear) to receive specific sound frequencies, affects the daily lives of patients as they are unable to communicate because they cannot hear properly.
Dr. E.D Kitcher, head of the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) said the major cause of the medical condition is exposure to loud noise at social gathering as well as the effects of herbal medication though that is not well tested.
Dr. Kitcher who was speaking during the presentation of medical equipment to the hospital’s ENT Unit by Tigo Ghana said when people are exposed to loud sounds, the nerve in the inner ear which has receptors for sound, generates sensitivity problems causing it to lose its ability to hear high frequencies.
The telecommunication’s company donated two kinds of hearing assessment equipment and a cash amount of $7,500 to the unit.
“The ear receptors are marked by frequencies just like the keyboard in the piano which has frequencies for high notes and frequencies for low notes. People who have nerve deafness cannot perceive high tone frequencies therefore they miss out when you use consonants.”
He further stated that people with nerve deafness experience difficulty in discriminating between sounds when a person is speaking via phone. “The person who has a problem with his ears can hear but cannot make any meaning of what is being said,” he added
During the presentation he expressed the need for private organisations to support the unit by providing more testing equipment and hearing aids for patients adding that the donation will go a long way in re-equipping the facility after a fire outbreak destroyed the testing equipments there three years ago.
Ama Daaku, Solutions Manager of Tigo Ghana said Tigo Ghana was touched by the destruction of the unit’s equipment due to the fire outbreak and consequently resolved to support it “as a way of recognizing not only its efforts but also its service to the Ghanaian community.”
She further noted that the presentation is in fulfillment of Tigo’s promise to the unit three years ago stressing, “We believe in the individual’s right to hear, understand and speak back.”

Caption: Ama Daaku presenting the equipment to Prof. Nii Otu Nartey, Chief Executive Officer of KBTH as Dr. E.D Kitcher (right) looks on.