Book launched to promote early detection and reduce stigma around hearing loss in Ghana

Rev. Dr. (h.c) Christian Kwetey Kweitsu, an advocate for hearing health and public awareness, has launched a book aimed at promoting early detection of hearing loss and reducing the stigma associated with hearing impairment in Ghana.

The book, titled “Hearing Aids: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding, Caring and Choosing for Your Hearing Loss,” addresses the growing but often under-recognised public health challenge of hearing loss, which continues to affect communication, education, and social inclusion across the country.

Speaking at the launch and during a media interaction, Rev. Dr. Kweitsu explained that the book was inspired by the emotional and social isolation experienced by people living with hearing loss, describing it as being physically present but disconnected from the world.

“When you are deaf or hearing impaired, it takes you into a world of silence where you are not aware of what is happening around you. When people are talking, laughing, and connecting, and you cannot hear, it becomes very painful and emotional. That is why I titled the book Amplifying Life, because to amplify life means to be aware of your environment and to connect fully with people,” he said

He noted that hearing loss in Ghana is often diagnosed late, worsened by limited screening, poor public awareness, and harmful ear-care practices, despite the availability of medical solutions such as hearing aids.

Rev. Dr. Kweitsu expressed particular concern about the impact of undetected hearing loss on children, explaining that hearing challenges can severely affect speech development and academic performance. According to him, many children are wrongly labelled as slow learners or placed in special schools when early intervention could have changed their trajectory.

“If children cannot hear, they cannot speak, because we hear audibly and we speak acoustically. When a child does not hear, the child does not acquire language, and that affects learning. Many children in Schools for the Deaf could have been helped with hearing aids if their condition had been identified early.”

The author also raised alarm over widespread stigma and unsafe ear-care practices, which he said contribute significantly to preventable hearing loss in the country. He cautioned against inserting objects into the ear and called for sustained public education and routine hearing screening, especially in schools.

“Professionally, we say that if you want to put anything in your ear, put your elbow, because the ear is very sensitive. When people insert objects into the ear, they damage the ear canal and even the eardrum, leading to infections and hearing loss. About ten years ago, I screened children in a School for the Deaf and nearly 60 percent of them could have benefited from hearing aids if something had been done earlier.”

Rev. Dr. Kweitsu further urged parents, educators, and policymakers to take hearing loss seriously, stressing that hearing well should not be taken for granted and that early detection remains the most effective path to prevention and treatment.

By Bawa Musah

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