Francesco Moser was the special guest speaker at the 9th Hearing Day, held in the Sala della Regina of the Chamber of Deputies. The most successful Italian cyclist of all time, with 273 professional victories, wanted to make his contribution to the celebration of World Hearing Day, the largest global awareness event on hearing health organized annually on March 3 by the WHO.
“As a former athlete,” Moser explained, “I can say that just as it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition and sports activities, it is equally important to keep your hearing active and functional, to have a healthy and efficient life every day, even for those who are no longer very young.”
The event was attended by representatives of institutions, medical specialists, health workers, researchers, associations and companies, for a long marathon promoted with the aim of spreading the message of the World Health Organization in Italy. The one launched on the occasion of World Hearing Day 2024 says "It's time to change mentality: let's make hearing care a reality for everyone!".
According to the WHO, there are more than one and a half billion people living with some form of hearing disability, 430 million of which are disabling. A number that could rise to over 2050 billion in 2, of which over 700 million are disabling. And all this does nothing but translate into costs for the global economy of 980 billion dollars a year, which include healthcare costs, without considering hearing aids and social costs, such as support.
educational and loss of productivity.
"Like every year - said the president of Italia Onlus, Valentina Faricelli - our country is presently responding to the WHO's appeal to draw the attention of institutions and the health world to the problem of hearing care. This year we are aiming for a radical change in mentality, because around the world of hearing there is still a strong stigma that hinders prevention, early diagnosis and subsequent treatment".
“Fifteen years ago,” he recalled, “Udito Italia took to the streets, bringing hearing care to the people, thanks to the Nonno Ascoltami event. It started with free check-ups in the squares of all of Italy for the elderly, and then involved even the youngest. Children, for whom early diagnosis and neonatal screening are essential for language development, adolescents, at risk of hearing loss every day due to lifestyles that put a strain on the hearing system. And finally, for many workers who are too often exposed to high-risk noise environments.”
“Hearing loss - added Mauro Menzietti, founder of Udito Italia and member of the World Hearing Forum of the WHO, an organization that dictates hearing policies worldwide - remains an invisible disability, because it is too often neglected and untreated. And this increases its spread with serious consequences for populations. Just think that it represents the third cause of disability worldwide, has very high economic costs and alarming social costs”.
“A situation - he underlined - that must necessarily be reversed, also in light of the data from the World Health Organization, according to which 90% of cases of hearing loss could be avoided, thanks to better lifestyles and greater information and awareness”.
On the occasion of the IX Hearing Day, an important innovation was presented. Starting today, Saturday 2 March, and for the months of March and April 2024, Rai and Mediaset will broadcast the first Pubblicità Progresso spot on the world of hearing, entitled 'Give more volume to life. Hearing prevention is important'. A joint project, carried out by Confindustria medical devices, Anifa, Ana and Anap, National Association of companies and professional hearing aid specialists.
The conference was also an opportunity to talk about hearing and road safety: Udito Italia presented an amendment that calls for the audiometric test to be changed from vocal to instrumental when issuing a driving license. Other contributors to the IX Hearing Day included, among others, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, Giovanni Leonardi, the Vice President of the Social Affairs Commission of the Chamber, Luciano Ciocchetti, Marcella Marletta, former Director General of Prevention at the Ministry of Health, Teresa Calandra, President of the National Federation of Tsrm and Pstrp Orders, the President of Fimmg, Giacomo Caudo, Fernanda Gellona, Director General of Confindustria Medical Devices, Corrado Canovi, Vice President of Aea and President of Anap, and the Modern Pentathlon World Team Champion, Alessandra Frezza, accompanied by the President of the Federation, Fabrizio Bittner.
