Kenya is facing a huge burden of hearing impairment at 6.3 per cent national prevalence, with about 3 million people partially deaf.

Much of this has been attributed to the loud music being played in Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) occasioning calls for the law enforcement agencies to urgently help solve the menace, which may include switching the speakers off.

Various stakeholders have highlighted sources of deafness and called on the government to end loud music in matatus; modified motor vehicle exhaust pipes and other sound emitting sources, such as entertainment spots.

Medical Services PS Harry Kimtai said loud music coming out of the PSVs is now a major concern as the rising prevalence in hearing impairment can partly be attributed to avoidable sources, sound pollution listed as one of them.

The PS called on enforcement agencies to help stop this menace.

“Noise-induced hearing loss is of public health concern due to inefficient implementation of rules and regulations on safety and effective noise reduction measures,” the PS said in a statement read on his behalf by Dr Manasseh Bocha, the Director in charge of Clinical Services at the ministry.

“Noise reduction measures should not only be implemented in occupational settings but also in social and entertainment venues to effectively employ hearing conservation measures that cut across the life course,” added the PS when he launched Dechi Hearing Clinic, a Level 2 health facility run by the KSDC in Upperhill, Nairobi.

However, he said there is a need to scale efforts towards the management of Ear and hearing care.

“The opening of this clinic cannot have come at a better time: The Kenya Health Information System 2022 reported a total 837,416 ear diseases in the country,” he said.

Out of this number, 264,789 cases are for children under 5 years while 15 percent of adults above 50 years old have hearing problems. 

At 6.3 percent, translating to over 3 million Kenyans with mild, moderate, severe, or profound hearing loss, deafness has been described as alarming.

And within this population, 900,000 individuals are classified as profoundly deaf and 300,000 fall within the school-age bracket.

However, according to the Kenya Society for Deaf Children, only 20,000 of school-going age are currently enrolled in educational institutions.