Organization: Malta Association of Audiologists
Title: World Hearing Day 2026- Hearing Screening
Al title (for format and translation – not permanent:
World Hearing Day 2026- Hearing Screening
Description:
Malta Association of Audiologists and Gozo Association for the Deaf Mark World Hearing Day 2026 with First Collaborative Community Screening in Gozo
To commemorate World Hearing Day 2026, the Malta Association of Audiologists (MAA) and the Gozo Association for the Deaf (GAD) organized a large-scale community hearing screening event in Victoria, Gozo. The initiative represented the first formal collaboration between the two non-governmental organisations and marked an important milestone for hearing health awareness on the island.
Observed annually on 3 March and led globally by the World Health Organization, World Hearing Day promotes ear and hearing care and raises awareness about the prevention of hearing loss across the life course. The local initiative aligned closely with these global objectives by focusing on early identification, prevention, accessibility, and community education.
Free Hearing Screening and Ear Health Checks
The event, held on Saturday 28 February between 9:00am and 13:00pm, offered free hearing screenings and otoscopic ear examinations to members of the public aged 6 years and above. For many attendees, this was their first-ever audiological assessment, providing a valuable baseline of their hearing health.
A team of nine locally CPCM-registered audiologists and three MSc Audiology students volunteered their professional services. The screening setup was carefully structured to maximise efficiency and accessibility:
– Five hearing tests were conducted simultaneously.
– Two audiologists carried out detailed otoscopic examinations and case histories.
– Two audiologists were dedicated to explaining results and providing counselling and guidance.
Screening procedures were non-invasive, safe, and designed to be easily understood by both children and adults. Participants received immediate verbal feedback, along with individualised advice on hearing care, noise protection, tinnitus, age-related hearing changes, and next steps where necessary. Individuals identified with potential hearing difficulties were guided on appropriate referral pathways for full diagnostic assessment or medical follow-up.
Community Engagement and Reducing Barriers
The Gozo Association for the Deaf hosted the event at their premises in Victoria, creating an inclusive and welcoming environment. A social area with refreshments encouraged informal discussion and helped reduce stigma around hearing loss. Association members also shared information about advocacy work and support services available to Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and their families. The event particularly aimed to reach individuals who may have felt hesitant or uncertain about seeking hearing care. By offering a free, professional, and community-based service, the initiative successfully lowered barriers to access and encouraged proactive engagement with hearing health.
Impact and Reflections
The event was widely regarded as a success, with strong community turnout and highly positive feedback from participants. The collaboration demonstrated the value of partnerships between hearing health professionals and Deaf community organisations in advancing awareness, accessibility, and prevention.
Importantly, the initiative fulfilled its core objectives:
– Increasing public awareness about hearing health.
– Promoting early identification of hearing and ear-related conditions.
– Encouraging healthy listening habits and preventive practices.
– Strengthening community engagement around hearing care.
Both organisations expressed their commitment to continuing this collaboration and establishing the event as an annual World Hearing Day activity in Gozo, contributing to sustained public education and preventive hearing care across the Maltese islands.
Through this initiative, the Malta Association of Audiologists and the Gozo Association for the Deaf reaffirmed their shared vision of accessible hearing care for all and their alignment with the global goals of World Hearing Day 2026.
Primary site: EUR – Malta
Region: EUR
Secondary sites:Gozo
General Photos
Conditioned Play Audiometry
Hearing Screening
Otoscopy
Volunteers
Types of Engagement:
Live event: No
Screening: Yes
Traditional media: No
Social media: No
Special needs populations: persons with disabilities (including hearing loss), children and adolescents, older adults, migrants or refugees
Met with individual policymaker: Yes
Participation of policy makers:
Participation of influencers: No
WHO technical tool used: No
WHO educational and social media used: Yes