Dubai, UAE — Starkey MEA today called for routine hearing checks across the Middle East and North Africa as new and recent data underscore the scale of hearing loss in the region. According to WHO this region is home to about 78 million people with hearing loss, including over 2 million children aged 0–15 with disabling conditions requiring rehabilitation. Without stronger prevention and care, the total affected is projected to climb to 194 million by 2050.

Evidence from individual countries points to a growing need for system-level action. In Saudi Arabia, population investigations report hearing loss among 43.4% of people aged 50+; newborn screening data from the Eastern Province found permanent hearing loss at 2.6 per 1,000—reinforcing the value of universal screening. In the UAE, the Ministry of Health and Prevention issued national newborn screening guidelines in April 2025 that include hearing abnormalities, strengthening policy support for early detection. In Egypt, the application of neonatal hearing screening started in 2019. It served in the early detection of hearing impairment and the application of early intervention programs. An incidence of 14% was reported in Egypt.

Workplace and recreational exposures remain critical across MENA. Studies in Jordan indicate about one quarter of noise-exposed industrial workers have noise-induced hearing loss, underscoring the need for stronger occupational hearing conservation. Globally, the WHO warns over 1 billion young people are at risk from unsafe listening, while unaddressed hearing loss costs almost US$1 trillion annually—pressures that will increasingly touch the region’s youthful population and labor markets.

“Too many people in our region wait years before seeking help, my team sees it and deals with the cases every day,” said Giscard Bechara, Regional Director of Starkey MEA FZCO. “A simple hearing test can change that trajectory. We want families, employers and clinicians to think ‘hearing’ as routinely as vision or blood pressure. Hearing tests are easy, fast, cheap, and can help identify early issues”

Starkey MEA’s call to action focuses on three priorities for MENA health systems and employers. First, screen earlier and routinely by integrating hearing checks into primary care and midlife health packages, and by sustaining and expanding newborn and infant screening—aligned with guidance from peer-reviewed evidence and national authorities.

Second, protect hearing at work and at play by strengthening occupational noise programmes and promoting safe-listening habits. Third, close the treatment gap by improving referral access to modern hearing technologies and rehabilitation, particularly for older adults who suffer most from this health condition.

“We are working with clinics, hospital partners and employers to make hearing screening accessible and stigma-free,” Giscard added. “When people hear better, they live better—and the benefits ripple across families, workplaces and communities.”

Today’s announcement builds on Starkey MEA’s recent advocacy to elevate hearing health as part of preventive care across the region, including awareness efforts during Better Hearing and Speech Month and broader campaigns to integrate hearing checks in routine health.

About Starkey Laboratories Inc.

Starkey is a privately owned, global leader in hearing innovation, headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. As the only American-owned provider of advanced hearing technologies, Starkey is known for pioneering digital hearing solutions that combine cutting-edge AI, health tracking, and personalized care. With more than 5,000 employees across 29 global facilities, Starkey serves over 100 markets worldwide. The company is dedicated to transforming lives through better hearing, offering a full ecosystem of hearing aids, software, and connected health services. To learn more, visit, starkeymea.com and starkey.com.