Abstract
Objective: 1) Work with communities to improve the quality of life of people with, or at risk of, ear and hearing problems in disadvantaged societies. 2) Empower developing countries to provide all services required, at community, primary, secondary, and tertiary level, by persons affected by ear disease, hearing impairment/deafness, or deafblindness.
Method: This strategy is the result of a multidisciplinary team workshop in Germany in 2010, later reviewed by CBM advisors, approved by Senior Leadership Team, and presented to regional directors on June 24, 2011. It will be further developed for roll-out in a joint meeting in Zimbabwe on June 7-9, 2012.
Results: The following areas were identified as priorities: 1) Awareness and Knowledge: The implementation of effective and sustainable measures to address the burden of EHC problems will require moving from basic awareness to fully understanding its magnitude. 2) Prevention: The most effective (and cost-efficient) interventions in public health are those implemented to impact at primary prevention level. 3) Resources: Equipping professionals with adequate tools to deliver good quality services and emphasizing local capacity building. 4) Access: Accessibility to EHC services includes local availability at the primary healthcare level. 5) Advisory Work: into a platform to advise at global, regional, and local levels in EHC matters.
Conclusion: A global consensus for best practice is desirable. CBM is currently strategically positioned where it can play a key role in the facilitation of a joint international forum for agencies and stakeholders to reach that consensus. Together with WHO and the WFD, CBM could develop a global strategy.
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