World Hearing Day is celebrated every year on 3^rd March to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and health care across the world. Department of Speech and Hearing, MCHP, MAHE, Manipal annually takes an initiative to promote the cause and conduct screening and awareness camps.

On the occasion of World Hearing Day 2023, we had organized a 2 day program at two different venues on 3^rd and 4^th of March. The first day a camp was organized at Indira Nagara primary and high school, chitpady, Udupi. Children from grade 1 to 10 of the school had attended the camp. 131 students were screened for pure tone audiometry out of which 115 were pass and 16 refer. 192 students underwent otoscopy out of which 131 were pass and 61 refer.

Students who failed hearing screening were informed for detailed audiological evaluation and list of cases with cerumen impaction were referred to ENT for wax removal. The speakers for the day addressed the gathering and explained about the different aspects of hearing conservation and prevention of hearing loss. The parents and teachers were counseled about ear hygiene and care. The students from the department also performed a skit on the lines of the theme for this year’s World Hearing Day to portray the effects of hearing loss.

On 4^th march a screening camp was held at Sri Siddhivinayaka Cashews, Santhekkate, Hebri, Karnataka. Hearing evaluation was done for 41 workers during the camp. On noise survey it was found 80-85 dB of noise near the machinery. Workers reported that they work for 8-10 hours a day. Most of them had been working since more than 8 years.  Hearing screening was done using a GSI-18 screening audiometer and individuals were tested for 500Hz through 4 kHz. Audiometer was calibrated according to the testing environment where attenuation of sound was present. 41 individuals were tested which includes 36 female and 5 male out of which 14 individuals had above moderate hearing loss. 4 had normal hearing, while remaining had mild hearing loss.

The individuals were counseled about the results and hearing conservation program was introduced to the employer and the employees at the factory and they were recommended to use ear protection devices while working in the factory.