Nov 19, 2020
Healthy Hearing in Zambia with Starkey
80 athletes with intellectual disabilities now have ears open to the world around them, thanks to Starkey Hearing Technologies and Starkey Hearing Foundation
Of 80 athletes screened, 14 needed hearing aids and more had ear issues that were attended to. These athletes received treatment at the Starkey Hearing Institute.
Representatives from Zambia’s Ministry of Health, Lions Clubs International the UNESCO country office coordinator and B’Flow, celebrity ambassador for Special Olympics Zambia alongside fellow artists Mark II and Wezi.
The event included COVID-19 education. Health care professionals from the Lusaka Apex Medical Univeristy conducted BMI and blood sugar screening, as well as dental hygiene education and the distribution of toothbrushes and toothpaste to all athletes.
Training of Healthy Hearing Healthcare Professionals
With the training of 17 Healthy Hearing Clinical directors, hailing from Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia, a legacy of Inclusive Health in audiology is growing in Africa Region.
Melina Williams, Global Clinical Advisor for Special Olympics Healthy Hearing, said that:
It makes me so happy to finally see an event with athletes being organized again, that they receive the care they deserve, that we were able to immerse 16 very enthusiastic health care professionals in the world of Special Olympics, and that we can make a difference in the lives of people like Ruth and Elias! This is not just the end of a training, this can definitely be the beginning of something much bigger, with many more people trained, an increase of screening and follow-up activities, not only for athletes, but also for people with ID in the communities, sensibilization campaigns, and all this not only within Zambia, but also in many other African countries.
