Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit in humans today. As per WHO estimates in India, there are approximately 63 million people, who are suffering from significant auditory impairment; this places the estimated prevalence at 6.3% in Indian population.

A large percentage of children between the ages of 0 to 14 years are also suffering from significant auditory impairment. With such a large number of hearing impaired young Indians, it amounts to a severe loss of productivity, both physical and economic. An even larger percentage of our population suffers from milder degrees of hearing loss and unilateral (one sided) hearing loss.

Hence, NPPCD was launched with a purpose of early identification, diagnosis and treatment of ear problems responsible for hearing loss and deafness in them. This programme is being implemented by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the technical support of Directorate General of Health Services. At the state level the programme is being implemented by the Department of Health & Family Welfare.

National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness (NPPCD) was initiated on pilot basis in January 2007 covering 25 districts of 10 states and 1 UT and has been expanded to 228 districts of 27 States / Union Territories in a phased manner till now. By the end of the 12th Five Year Plan 384 Districts will be taken up for programme implementation.

Objectives

• To prevent avoidable hearing loss on account of disease or injury
• Early identification, diagnosis and treatment of ear problems responsible for hearing loss and deafness
• To medically rehabilitate persons of all age groups, suffering with deafness
• To strengthen the existing inter-sectoral linkages for continuity of the rehabilitation programme, for persons with deafness
• To develop institutional capacity for ear care services by providing support for equipment, material and training personnel

Long Term Objective

To prevent and control major causes of hearing impairment and deafness, so as to reduce the total disease burden by 25% of the existing burden by the end of 12th Five Year Plan.