THE Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation have held a workshop to train primary health care workers to conduct deafness surveys.

The workshop, held at Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital in Tarmwe township on June 2 and 3, would greatly assist the workers in carrying out the surveys, said the associate professor of the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at the University of Medicine (1), Dr Saw Aung Hla Win.

He said the surveys would be conducted in four states and divisions – two each in upper and lower Myanmar – during the next two years.

Dr Saw Aung Hla Win said ear care and the use of equipment to test hearing were taught during the workshop.

The primary health care workers also received instruction in completing survey forms based on WHO standards, he said.

“The workshop upgraded the ability of health care workers to collect the correct data for the survey,” he said.

Other subjects covered at the workshop included public education about ear care and assisting in the rehabilitation of deaf patients, Dr Saw Aung Hla Win said.

He said most children suffer from deafness because of chronic ear infections, the use of strong drugs and sometimes because of exposure to loud noise.

Dr Saw Aung Hla Win said that the primary health care workers would pass on the knowledge acquired at the workshop to other health workers.

Ear, nose and throat specialists as well as primary health care workers from throughout the country attended the workshop.