Organization: Indian Speech Language and Hearing Association
Title: Comprehensive Community and School-Based Hearing Screening and Awareness Campaign for World Hearing Day 2026
Al title (for format and translation – not permanent:
Comprehensive community and school-based hearing screening and awareness campaign for World Hearing Day 2026
Description:
To celebrate World Hearing Day 2026, the Indian Speech-Language & Hearing Association (ISHA) actively supported the World Health Organization’s global initiative by mobilizing its nationwide network of professionals. Under the theme “From Communities to Classrooms: Hearing Care for Every Child,” ISHA issued a formal call for proposals from its members across India. From the numerous submissions received from various regions, an expert team selected 10 high-impact proposals based on their sustainability, community reach, and alignment with the WHO theme. To facilitate these activities, ISHA provided a grant of ₹5,000 per selected proposal.
The impact was extensive, with activities spanning from Punjab and Rajasthan to Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The initiatives reached thousands through a diverse range of engagements:
Clinical Screening: Comprehensive hearing and speech screenings were conducted in government schools, urban slums, and preschools, identifying hundreds of children with unaddressed hearing loss.
Awareness & Advocacy: Large-scale walkathons, “Hear-Walks,” and street plays (Nukkad Natak) engaged the public, while traditional and social media outreach ensured the message reached a wider audience.
Capacity Building: Orientation sessions for teachers and parents were held to create “hearing-friendly classrooms” and ensure early signs of hearing loss are recognized.
Policy & Leadership: The campaign successfully engaged high-level authorities, including IPS officers and District Medical Officers, to advocate for better hearing health infrastructure.
By providing financial support and professional oversight, ISHA ensured that these member-led activities resulted in tangible outcomes, such as referring children for medical care and connecting eligible candidates to the SAST scheme for free cochlear implants, reinforcing the message that every child deserves the right to hear and learn.
Primary site: SEAR- India
Region: SEAR
Impactful Story:
Several reports highlighted individuals identified with previously unaddressed hearing loss or ear conditions during school screenings. For example, early identification of children with bilateral profound hearing loss led to referrals for the SAST scheme in Karnataka for free cochlear implants
General Photos
Walkathon to create awareness about World Hearing Day
Hearing Screening
Street play related to hearing screeing
Hearing screening at schools
Types of Engagement:
Live event: Yes
Screening: Yes
Traditional media: Yes
Social media: Yes
Special needs populations: persons with disabilities (including hearing loss), children and adolescents, older adults, rural or remote population
Met with individual policymaker: Yes
Participation of policy makers: Yes
Participation of influencers: No
WHO technical tool used: Yes
WHO educational and social media used: Yes