In Part One of this episode, Dr Shelly Chadha, Technical Lead for Ear and Hearing Health at the World Health Organization (WHO), highlights the crisis in hearing health that the world is facing and what the WHO in their 2023 campaign “Hearing Care for All, Let’s Make it a Reality” is doing to helping address the crisis.
In Part Two, Chief Executive Officer of Ear Science Institute Australia, Sandra Bellekom is joined by Senator Dorinda Cox to discuss the crisis closer to home, here in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. They will yarn about the impact hearing loss has on the Indigenous community, and how Ear Science is taking action.
Content Warning: This episode discusses family & domestic violence. If this raises any issues for you, contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT- 1800 737 732
In this episode, you will learn
The global, regional and local status of ear health, inequities in access to hearing health care for developing and developed countries
The significant crisis in the ear health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
A personal account of hearing loss from Senator Dorinda Cox
The impact of hearing loss for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
How Ear Science and WHO are working to address the global crisis in hearing health
Dr Shelly Chadha, Technical Lead for Ear and Hearing Health at WHO
Dr Shelly Chadha is responsible for WHOs work on the prevention of deafness and hearing loss including advocacy for the prioritisation of hearing care; technical support to countries for the development of hearing care strategies and relevant tools.
Dorinda Cox, Senator of Australia and a Yamatji–Noongar woman
Senator Dorinda Cox is a proud Yamatji-Noongar woman and hearing implant recipient. Dorinda has a strong record of working for social justice in her community; locally, globally and nationally. She has over 20 years of experience working in government and non-government sectors and has made significant contributions to policy and advocacy in the areas of domestic violence, child protection and Aboriginal Justice.
Sandra Bellekom, CEO of Ear Science Institute Australia
Sandra Bellekom is the Chief Executive Officer of Ear Science Institute Australia, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Ear and Hearing Care, Adjunct Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Science, Curtin Medical School, and Adjunct Associate Professor and Director of Ear Sciences Centre and Medical School, UWA.
She has dedicated the past two decades to helping people around the world enjoy better hearing. With a mix of strong business acumen and extensive experience in clinical service and patient-centred care, Sandra has a unique ability to view all facets of a hearing organisation, from the overarching organisation view through to the critical frontline of patient care.
Episode Resources
WHO Prevention of Deafness & Hearing Loss Report
Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS)
Vanderpoll T and Howard D. Massive prevalence of hearing loss among Aboriginal inmates in the Northern Territory Indigenous Law Bulletin. 28 (7): 3-7; 2020.
