You may recall that last April Hearing International called our readers’ attention to an organization making a major difference to the hearing impaired across the globe. The Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CFGHH) was first organized in March 2009, bringing together hearing health care professionals working in low resource communities around the world. Their stated purpose is to:
- Advocate for policies pertinent to hearing health care practices in a humanitarian capacity by directing professionals, students and stakeholders to existing policy
- Create topical guidelines in various languages (cochlear implant candidacy in developing countries; tele-health in underserved areas).
- Encourage dialogue and consensus amongst and between professionals globally to achieve topical policy
- Equip hearing healthcare professionals by educating societies and organizations on available resources and by providing networking opportunities through regularly provided coalition conferences
- Empower families, educators, communities and those who have ear/hearing difficulties by addressing holistic/complete needs within the context of the available resources found in the underserved region
- Perpetuate Best Practices by engaging recipients of humanitarian services in dialogue about their priorities, needs, and resources
While other international organizations often drag their feet after they are organized, the CFGHH has been quite active over the past few months in its efforts for the hearing impaired of the world.
What Have They Been Doing?
The Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CGHH) is requesting immediate action to join other prominent international organizations in a consortium to raise necessary 
funds for the renewal of the Office for the Prevention of Deafness and Hearing Impairment (PDH) for 2014-2016. The PDH, currently led by Dr. Shelly Chadha, plays a critical role in bringing issues of ear and hearing health to the table in the broader context of global health policy. Over the last 18 months, WHO staff at PDH have been extremely effective in increasing awareness of and working to improve services for the prevention and treatment of hearing loss globally.
International Humanitarian Hearing Aid Purchasing Program (IHHAPP) provides new high-quality, behind the ear (BTE) digital hearing aids to qualified Humanitarian Programs and Not For Profit Organizations with long term relationships with their clients / recipients. These devices can be easily adjusted without additional equipment 
and are available for a wide range of hearing loss severity. They are not intended to be sold for profit or to compete with existing hearing aid distribution networks. Potential applicants complete an application and provide a signed letter of agreement and reference letters. IHHAPP is currently administered by Mayflower Medical Outreach. We welcome your participation in this program.
The CGHH is working with the Global Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss on a 
program that delivers quality hearing devices to children in developing countries and helps facilitate ongoing audiology and education support.
The CGHH is working with the International Hearing Foundation and Audiology Incorporated,an affiliate of the Minnesota Medical Foundation, that has funding to support limited projects in developing countries. The projects must be aimed at increasing access to hearing care in regions with limited service availability. Acceptable project goals include but are not limited to the following:
1. Improving educational programs, including vocational training, for hearing-impaired children and adults.
2. Providing audiologic diagnostic services for hearing-impaired children and adults who have access to educational and rehabilitative services.
3. Providing audiologic rehabilitation, including hearing aids, for hearing-impaired children and adults.
4. Providing medical services to hearing-impaired children and adults.
5. Providing training in service delivery to local residents to achieve greater access to audiologic services.
6. Funding equipment acquisitions for programs that have trained personnel for delivering audiologic services.
7. Research projects that focus on accessibility of hearing care in developing countries.
Each project will have a project leader based in the U.S. and a site coordinator based in the project country. The site coordinator will oversee the implementation of the project at the project locat
ion. A carefully planned outcomes assessment is required. Automated hearing test equipment will b
e provided for up to six months for projects that include hearing testing. For further information on these grants check out the CGHH web site.
According to Jackie Clark, Ph.D; the Coalition Global Hearing Health has set the date of July 25-26, 2014 for its 5th Annual Conference titled: Making Hearing Health A Global Priority. The meeting will take place at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University’s youngest, largest, and most diverse college community. As Dr. Clark says in her email….Save the Date!
