About SSH

• Organizational & meetings
• Vision, Mission and Goal
• Objectives
• Functions, Priorities & strategies
• Founder Members and Executive Committee (EC)
• Target countries

Vision, Mission and Goal

• Vision: To improve the quality of life in the Asian Region by including in developmental programs the RIGHT TO BETTER HEARING.
• Mission: To eliminate avoidable hearing impairment by the year 2030 through development of sustainable and inclusive ear and hearing care systems.
• Goal: The Goal of the SOUND HEARING 2030 program is to reduce avoidable hearing impairment to 50% by 2015 and 90% by the year 2030.

Objectives

The objectives, goals and targets have been defined along-with the proposed functions and targets.

1. To raise awareness at all levels within the community.
2. To promote sustainable and comprehensive ear and hearing health care.
3. To facilitate the increase of appropriately trained community oriented ear and hearing health care professionals and personnel.
4. To enhance access to appropriate ear and hearing health care.

Functions, Priorities & strategies

The priorities for this region have also been listed and the strategies have been outlined in order to address these priorities.

Functions

1. To advocate and promote sustainable and comprehensive ear and hearing care, as national health systems development.
2. To promote the principle and practice of primary ear and hearing health care, as a fundamental aspect of public health intervention.
3. To facilitate the resource mobilization in the countries for enhancing access to simple and appropriate ear and hearing health carel.
4. To identify good practices, and to exchange such experience and information on all aspects related to hearing loss and impairment.
5. To collaborate with national programmes on deafness hearing impairment.
6. To work closely in partnership with national expertise, institutions, committees, national and international Civil Society, WHO and other development partners in promoting better hearing for all.

Priorities

1. Care for the underprivileged communities.
2. Focus on early detection, intervention and rehabilitation of the most commonly occurring and preventable causes of deafness and hearing impairment, such as * :
   • middle ear infection
   • congenital
   • noise induced
   • ototoxicity
   • impacted cerumen
   • aging (presbycusis)
3. Prevention programs at all levels of services.
4. Human resource development.
5. Infrastructure development specially focused on the primary and secondary level.

Strategies

1. To facilitate integration of hearing impairment prevention programs into the existing health system of the countries.
2. Promote partnership and collaboration among different stakeholders.
3. Develop plans for raising and managing financial resources.
4. Promote and support National Committees and National Plans.
5. To collect population based data to develop projects and strategies.

Founder Members and Executive Committee (EC)

Founder Members

1. Dr. Madan P. Upadhyay (WHOSEARO)
2. Dr. Andrew Smith (WHO)
3. Prof A. K. Agarwal (IFOS)
4. Prof. M. Alauddin (SAARC-ENT)
5. Dr. Bulantrisna Djelantik (STP WHOSEARO)
6. Ms. Silvana Inselmann (CBM)
7. Prof. Suchitra Prasansuk (HI)
8. Dr. Sawat Ramaboot (WHO SEARO)
9. Dr. Padman Ratnesar (IMPACT)

Top Right to Left: Dr. A.K. Agarwal, Dr. Madan Upadhyay, Dr. Padman Ratnesar;
Bottom Right to Left: Ms Silvana Mehra, Dr. Bulantrisna Djelantik, Dr. Andrew Smith

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: 2005-2009

1. Dr. Bulantrisna Djelantik (President)
2. Dr. Madan Upadhyay (Sr. Vice-president)
3. Dr. M. Alauddin, ENT-SAARC (Vice-President)
4. Dr. A.K. Agarwal (Secretary-General)
5. Dr. Suchitra Prasansuk (Treasurer)
6. Dr. Shelly Khanna Chadha (Joint-Secretary)
7. Dr. Andrew Smith (Members)
8. Dr. Padman Ratnesar (Members)
9. Ms Silvana Mehra (Members)
10. Dr. Sawat Ramaboot (Members)
11. Dr. R. Shrivasatav (Members)

Executive Committee Members 2010-2014

The Society for Sound Hearing was founded through the efforts of representatives and stalwarts from various organisations. The first Executive Committee was in office from 2005 to 2009. The Second Executive Committee has taken charge with effect from December 2009.

Advisory Board

Office Administrator

Target countries:

The countries included at the start of the regional organization are eleven countries, in accordance with the WHO regional division. At present the Society for Sound Hearing is focussed on the South East Asia Region of the World Health Organization. The target countries shall be expanded to include all countries of Asia and finally be extended all over the globe.