Organization: Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition
Title: Saint Lucia’s Initiatives for World Hearing Day 2026
Al title (for format and translation – not permanent:
Saint Lucia’s initiatives for World Hearing Day 2026
Description:
The Hearing Health Unit of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition, and the Ministry of Education have combined efforts to design activities to commemorate World Hearing Day 2026. This is the fifth year that Saint Lucia will be participating in World Hearing Day campaign. We are excited to celebrate this day under the Theme: Communities to Classroom: Hearing Care for All Children. Our overall Goal is: To promote early detection and prevention of Hearing loss in children, by empowering Healthcare Providers, Teachers and parents and providing structured hearing screening and timely referrals for children identified with hearing loss. At the end of World Hearing Day activities it is expected that:
Hearing Unit would meet with Government Official to discuss WHD plans and activities World hearing day events
Healthcare Professionals and Special Education Teachers would be trained in Ear and Hearing care Screening to build capacity for early identification of Hearing Loss in Children ages eight to eighteen years old.
Parents will be equipped with knowledge on Healthy Ear Practices, safe listening and trained to recognize early signs of hearing loss in children. Parents will gain a clear understanding of how Hearing affects speech, learning and behavior, enabling them to seek timely interventions. In addition the General Public will be sensitized on Ear and Hearing Care and the impact of Hearing Loss on children development and educational outcomes, promoting prevention, early help seeking and community awareness.
School children between the ages of five to eighteen will receive Basic Hearing Screening, contributing to early detection and timely referral. Child health developmental surveillance screening program within Primary Healthcare Services will be strengthened through the integration of hearing screening and follow up.
Primary site: AMR – Saint Lucia
Region: AMR
Impactful Story:
Prior to 2023 Saint Lucia faced a significant challenge in the delivery of School- Based Hearing Services, due to lack of appropriate Hearing Screening Equipment. As a result hearing screening for school aged children could not be conducted at their respective schools and the Ear and Hearing Services were limited to the Hearing Units located in the North and South of the island. This arrangement posed challenges for families including transportation, access to the facilities for timely interventions for children with hearing loss. Through the WHD grant we procured a portable Audiometer which strengthen Hearing Health Services within the country.
General Photos
WHO Press Release at MOH
EHC Teachers Educational sessions
WHD Panel discussion
WHD School Hearing Testing
Types of Engagement:
Live event: Yes
Screening: Yes
Traditional media: Yes
Social media: Yes
Special needs populations: children and adolescents
Met with individual policymaker: Yes
Participation of policy makers: Yes
Participation of influencers: Yes
WHO technical tool used: Yes
WHO educational and social media used: Yes