Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme in Nigeria: Overview and Emerging Issues

Abstract

Although universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) program is indispensable to improving the health level of newborns, two thirds of the people with simple to extreme hearing impairment live in developing nations including Nigeria. Thus, surveying the current UNHS practices in Nigeria is considered imperative to discern the existing UNHS model and identify the existing issues and challenges facing UNHS implementation in the country. Based on the comprehensive review of reports, published research, and other relevant materials, this paper presented a logic-based and empirically-based conceptual discussion regarding the existing UNHS model in Nigeria. The findings of this research indicate that implementation of the UNHS in Nigeria is still at low ebb. The little success recorded in the implementation of UNHS is mostly noticeable in Lagos, South-western Nigeria. There are however problems and challenges, which include deficiency of the screening equipment and inadequate facilities for training the manpower, hindering the implementation of the program in Nigeria. Although there is no problem that is unsurmountable, some of the ways-out of these problems and issues include: recruitment of more hands to handle the screening, creation of awareness using both print and electronic media to sensitize the parents on the importance of UNHS, and creation of awareness to the expectant mothers by the health providers during the pre- natal periods. Also, government should create more screening centers which should be well-equipped. There should also be periodic seminars and workshops to update the knowledge of the concerned health workers caregivers. In addition, literature review conducted in this paper revealed that there is dearth of research on UNHS in the context of Nigeria. Therefore, future researchers should direct their focus towards UNHS research field as this will expand the scope of the existing body of knowledge.