University of Pretoria.

Hearing loss strikes at the heart of what makes us human — communication, engagement and learning, and developing the full expression of individual agency in society. It affects about 1.5 billion people worldwide, and is a leading contributor to the global burden of disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that the number will increase to 2.5 billion by 2050 and that one in four people will suffer from hearing loss. In most of the world, less than 10% can get help in early detection and treatment (WHO, 2021).