Nepal to observe international hearing day on March 3
Kathmandu, Feb 15: Nepal is also to observe the International Hearing Day this year. The international hearing day is observed every year on March 3 at the call of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to promote hearing.
This will be the first time that Nepal will observe the day, with a focus on prevention of hearing impairment caused by sound pollution, said focal person at the National Hearing Impairment Prevention Programme of the Health Ministry, Prof Dr Dhundi Raj Poudyal. Lately, many people are found to have lost their hearing strength due to increasing sound pollution including from vehicle horns, rising use of electronic equipment, loud playing of music among others, he said.
However, no study has been carried out to find out the level of hearing loss caused by sound pollution. A survey carried out 20 years ago by an INGO had found 16 per cent of the Nepali population suffering from one or other kind of hearing impairment.
As per WHO, a human can bear sound of up to 60 decibel only but in the cities people are forced to listen to sound as high as 100 decibel, said Dr Poudyal.
The day will be marked with awareness raising programmes as well as ways to prevent increasing sound pollution, especially in the urban areas.
