New Delhi / London, 2026

The South Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) has announced a major humanitarian initiative to promote hearing health and facilitate early diagnosis of ear-related conditions among vulnerable communities across India and several African nations. The announcement underscores the urgent, yet frequently overlooked, global burden of hearing loss—a condition affecting an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization’s 2021 World Report on Hearing.

The Global and Regional Hearing Health Crisis

Hearing loss is the world’s most prevalent sensory disability. The WHO estimates that approximately 430 million people currently require rehabilitation to address disabling hearing loss, and this figure is projected to rise to nearly 2.5 billion by 2050 if current trends continue. Critically, more than 80% of people with disabling hearing loss live in low- and middle-income countries—precisely the communities that SACCI’s initiative seeks to reach.

India alone accounts for a disproportionately large share of the global burden. The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness (NPPCD) estimates that around 63 million Indians suffer from significant auditory impairment—roughly 6.3% of the population. Sub-Saharan Africa similarly bears a heavy load, with rates of disabling hearing loss among the highest globally, compounded by limited access to audiological services and ENT specialists.

Untreated hearing loss carries significant human and economic costs. The WHO estimates the global economic impact at approximately USD 980 billion annually, encompassing lost productivity, educational underachievement, and social exclusion. At an individual level, hearing impairment is associated with elevated risks of cognitive decline, depression, social isolation, and diminished quality of life—particularly among older adults.

The SACCI Initiative

In response to this pressing need, SACCI will organise hearing awareness and screening camps three times a year. The announcement was made by Dada Mahendrasinh C. Jadeja, Chairman – International Business & Trade Affairs at SACCI, who described the initiative as an effort to extend professional medical expertise to underserved communities that rarely access specialist care.

The camps will focus primarily on shelter homes and care institutions, targeting senior citizens, manual workers, and children—three groups known to face heightened hearing risk yet disproportionately lack access to audiological services. According to the WHO, only one in five people who need a hearing aid actually owns one, with the gap widest in low-income settings. SACCI’s programme aims to directly address this access deficit.

“Many individuals, particularly elderly residents and workers in shelter homes, live with untreated hearing difficulties that profoundly affect their communication, mental well-being, and overall quality of life,” said Jadeja. “This initiative is about bringing world-class medical expertise directly to those who need it most.”

Free Services Offered at Each Camp

Each camp will provide the following services at no cost to participants:

• Ear examination by qualified ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialists
• Pure-tone audiometry (hearing tests) to assess the degree and type of hearing loss
• Professional guidance on the use and maintenance of hearing aids where clinically indicated
• Medical consultation and advice on a range of ear-related conditions including otitis media, tinnitus, and noise-induced hearing loss
• Community education sessions on hearing health, preventive care, and safe listening practices

Medical Leadership

The clinical component of the programme will be overseen by Dr. Vijendra Ingle, a ENT surgeon with appointments at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, and North Middlesex University Hospital—all National Health Service (NHS) institutions in North London. Dr. Ingle has also held an honorary surgical post in Head and Neck Oncology at University College Hospital London, one of the United Kingdom’s leading teaching hospitals.

Dr. Ingle will lead a team of medical colleagues based in London who will travel to the camps to deliver specialist assessments and screenings. SACCI has indicated that the team will work in coordination with local healthcare professionals and institutions to maximise reach and ensure continuity of follow-up care where needed.

Broader Mission and Collaboration

SACCI’s leadership views the initiative as consistent with the organisation’s broader mandate of combining international cooperation, healthcare awareness, and humanitarian service. The organisation plans to partner with local NGOs, community institutions, and volunteer healthcare workers to ensure that camps in both continents reach the maximum number of beneficiaries.

The programme also aligns with the WHO’s HEAR strategy—a global framework calling for Hearing screening and intervention, Ear disease prevention and care, Access to technologies and services, and Rehabilitation services—which identifies community-based outreach as essential to closing the global hearing care gap.

Further details regarding the schedule, target locations, and registration process for the camps are expected to be announced by SACCI in the coming months.