Stakeholders have called for the scaling up of hearing and vision care reforms across Nigeria and the African continent.

The experts, comprising health experts, policymakers and development partners, also raised concerns over the growing prevalence of conditions such as otitis media and trachoma, urging stronger preventive care, early intervention and expanded community awareness campaigns.

They warned that gaps in early detection, specialist manpower and primary healthcare systems continue to worsen preventable sensory impairments across the region.

The participants emphasised the need for integrated health and education systems to support children with hearing and vision impairments.

They also called for assistive technologies, inclusive learning frameworks and teacher training programmes to ensure full participation of affected children in mainstream education.

The call was made at a high-level international workshop on Public Health Planning for Hearing and Vision Impairment (PHPHVI), held at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun (FUHSI), Osun State, where stakeholders gathered to design sustainable and scalable interventions for low-resource settings.

The three-day training brought together participants from across Africa and Europe, alongside Nigerian health authorities, including officials of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) network, CBM Global, and academic experts in audiology, ophthalmology and public health.

The forum was convened amid growing concern over the rising burden of hearing and vision loss in developing countries, where limited access to early diagnosis and treatment continues to widen inequalities, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Declaring the workshop open, Vice-Chancellor of FUHSI, Prof Akeem Lasisi, said sensory health must be fully integrated into national health systems if Nigeria is to achieve equitable healthcare outcomes.

Lasisi noted that untreated hearing and vision impairments have far-reaching consequences on education, productivity and social inclusion, stressing that universities must play a central role in generating evidence-based solutions to inform national policy.

“We must move beyond fragmented interventions to a coordinated, scalable and sustainable system that ensures no child or adult is left behind because of hearing or vision impairment,” he said.

Prof Andrew Smith of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine outlined global public health approaches to addressing hearing impairment.

A key highlight of the workshop was an experiential learning session in which participants used simulation tools such as earplugs and low-vision glasses to better understand the lived realities of persons with sensory disabilities.

Facilitators said the exercise was designed to shift focus from theory to empathy-driven policy design, ensuring interventions reflect real-life challenges faced by affected persons.

Experts also reviewed global progress in hearing and vision care, drawing insights from Dr Carolina Der and Dr Stuart Keel, who highlighted World Health Organisation (WHO)-supported initiatives and global action plans aimed at reducing avoidable sensory impairment.

Participants further examined Nigeria-specific interventions, with the Federal Ministry of Health presenting ongoing efforts to integrate sensory healthcare into primary healthcare delivery.

A key highlight was the introduction of the Primary Ear and Hearing Care (PEHC) model, described as a cost-effective and scalable intervention designed to empower frontline health workers to detect and manage hearing impairments at the community level.