Hearing disability constitutes 10% of all disabilities in India. Incidence of disability is highest in the state of Andhra Pradesh 108/100,000. The rest of the country it varies from 2-117 (Rural)/132 (Urban). According to National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) 2002. There is a prevalence of hearing disability, of 300 per 100,000 persons, according to national survey figures. In our target population of 8 million there are 24,000 hearing disabled. 40% of these are children <18 years of age. That constitutes a figure of 9,600 children with hearing disability. Deafness can be mild, moderate, severe or profound. Disability mainly occurs if a person is affected in both ears by moderate to profound deafness. Late diagnosis of deafness causes delay in language development, social stigma and consequently illiteracy.There are no specialised facilities for testing children and rehabilitating them in state
Govt. sector. There is one central-govt. organisation called National Institute of hearing handicapped located in the outskirts of city providing service with limited resources.
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