Audiological development in South-East Asia. Thailand health profile

The Otological Centre:Bangkok Unit has been established since March 13, 1985 on the initiation of ISA and IFOS as one of the planned three Centres for each continent of the world. Bangkok Centre serves the Asian countries on the Global Programme on Prevention of Hearing Impairment and Deafness. It was the first of the planned three centres to be established and operative. The Centre has already run Annual Training Courses to upgrade oto-audiological knowledge of ENT doctors and personnel engaged in this field. Three courses were run with a very successful result. The epidemiological survey and services of ear diseases and hearing problems were carried out in various parts of Thailand rural areas as well as in the Bangkok metropolitan area in cooperation with the Provincial Health Offices and Provincial and District Hospitals and Bangkok Metropolitan Health Centres. Emphasis was placed on the early detection, management and preventive measures to the early diseases and hearing disorders. The Centre's mobile team is run on a voluntary basis without any financial support. The problem cases found were treated and referred to the appropriate health units, health centres or hospitals according to convenience and suitability. Some difficult cases in need of further investigation were recommended to seek specialist attention at the closest hearing centre. Essential for services at the spot is hearing aids provision free of charge or as cheap as possible, since more than 50% of congenital hearing impaired children have never before used hearing aids as this is either not affordable or not available in rural areas. Financial support is crucial for further development and running of the Centre. International help will also be needed for training of personnel both at the site of the Centre and overseas. An acoustic laboratory is essential for the future development of the Centre. The Ear Foundation (Thailand) was set up in January 1987. Some personal as well as international support in all aspects is essential for the further development as well as to cope with the maintenance costs of the Bangkok Centre. Our hope is that "Hearing for All by the Year 2000" will be true for all sectors.