Experts canvass support to promote hearing, speech therapy in Nigeria

Experts in speech pathology and audiology have said speech and auditory therapies are two ways of improving the wellbeing of many Nigerians, in order to improve inclusivity.

According to the experts, this also will intensify the quest for promoting proper identification and diagnosis of communication for everyone who is a hearing or speech patient as well as sensitising the public and the government.

They made the submission at the Speech Pathologists and Audiologists Association in Nigeria (SPAAN) tagged:-2018 SPAAN conference with the theme “Better Hearing, Better Speech” held at the University of Ibadan.

“To overcome auditory and speech impairment in Nigeria, there is an urgent need to put in place the manpower, infrastructural deficit and implement policy, and also ensure recognition of the professions of audiology and speech pathology in the health sector, for better hearing, better speech in the country,” said Akeem Lasisi, chief medical director, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State.

Neal Boafo, from the school of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, in his keynote address, said that experts (audiologists and speech therapists) must do more than clinical assessments and evaluations, as persons with communication disorders must feel their impact not only in the clinic, but in the communities in which they live.

“The public does not know about auditory accessibility and how to attain it. It is the experts’ responsibility to educate the public on the hazards of loud noise, and we must engage the regulators to enforce by-laws on noise pollution,” he said.

On the way out towards better hearing, better speech, the experts noted that, Neonatal (Infant) hearing screening should be made compulsory in Nigeria, as, this should be done within 72 hours after the delivery of a child, because this mechanism will facilitate better hearing, better speech.

“Pre-employment hearing screening should be made compulsory, as a condition for employment in any industry /firm in Nigeria, as cases of communication difficulties should be reported early for appropriate remediation,” say experts.

Yemisi Amusa from the department of Otolaryngology, College of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria observed that more still needs to be done in compliance with best global practice.

“There has to be an increase in the area of training and research in both audiology and speech therapy in Nigeria, to cope with the demands of the 21st Century practice,” Amusa said.

According to the experts, a worthwhile scheme of service should be put in place by the government in Nigeria to encourage the audiologists and speech pathologists/therapists that are practicing in the country.

“Only certified audiologists and speech pathologists by the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists (Registration) Board of Nigeria (MRTB) should be allowed to practice the profession, therefore, non-audiologists and non-speech pathologists should not be allowed nor encouraged to practice the profession,” say experts.

ANTHONIA OBOKOH