Mandating Newborn Hearing Screening in Lebanon

Abstract

Early detection of infant hearing loss is essential for prompt intervention, which can avert long-term social, scholastic, and developmental difficulties. It is estimated that late detection and treatment of hearing loss cost Lebanon $300 million a year (MOPH, 2018). Nevertheless, a large number of infants do not receive newborn hearing screening, which results in communicative difficulties and associated psychological problems. Four solutions to the problem are examined in this policy brief: (3) using data for prevalence studies to understand the scope of the problem; (2) increasing the role of audiologists in healthcare institutions for training and monitoring; (3) requiring newborn hearing screening with national guidelines to standardise practices; and (4) increasing awareness among parents and stakeholders. Ensuring follow-up for newborns who fail the screening, obtaining sufficient money, and inspiring stakeholders to take action regarding hearing loss—which is sometimes a hidden disability—are some of the major implementation obstacles. For implementation to be successful and for the results for kids with hearing loss to improve, these obstacles must be removed.