CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (January 28, 2010) —

The Hearing Aid Mission mounted in St. Kitts and Nevis throughout this week by the Florida based Caribbean Foundation For Children Inc., was designed to draw attention to the Federation’s hearing impaired.

The disclosure was made by the Foundation’s Nevis born Corporation Director Ms. Evelyn Henville on Wednesday, at a ceremony to mark the commencement of one day of screening and testing on primary school students in Nevis.

“By bringing this mission to our Federation, it is our intention to help deaf and hard of hearing children to become accepted and productive at home, at school, in the workplace and in society in general,” she said.

According to Ms. Henville, world experts on deafness were of the view that all deafness and hearing impairment was avoidable and an estimated 278 million persons worldwide were living with some level of hearing impairment (hearing loss or ear diseases).

“These problems can be lifelong and sometimes life threatening. They may have profound effects on inter personal communication, education, employment prospects, social relationships and thorough stigmatisation.

“Some of the most effective and cost-effective interventions against air and hearing problems can be implemented as the basic level of our community health centres who are key in keeping children healthy,” she said.

Ms. Henville also assured that every child who was in need of a hearing aid at the end of screening and the subsequent examination would receive one.

The Hearing Aid Mission commenced on Tuesday through a collaborative efforts of the Ministries of Health and Education on Nevis, with training for 17 participants which included Public Health Nurses, Special Education teachers and other persons interested in primary ear and hearing care.

They were taught by Global Deaf Connections Specialist Dr. Ron Brouillette how to use an audiometer; about the common causes of deafness and hearing impairment and ways to prevent and or treat simple conditions which could lead to major problems.

Caribbean Foundation for Children Inc. was founded in Florida in 2008 but was launched late 2009 in St. Kitts and Nevis. The Organisation’s mission is to champion all causes related to children with specific emphasis on health, medicine, education and community.