As the world observes the 31st International Noise Awareness Day on 29 April 2026 under the theme Protect Your Hearing, Protect Your Health, Starkey MEA is urging individuals across the Middle East and Africa to take the rising tide of everyday noise seriously, and to recognise its long-term impact on hearing health.
From dense urban traffic and construction to prolonged headphone use and loud recreational settings, daily noise exposure has become an overlooked public health concern. Repeated or prolonged exposure to sound above safe levels can cause gradual, often irreversible hearing loss, yet many people only seek help once the damage is already done.
“My message here is simply just to be aware of it, bring that volume down a bit. Noise is no longer just a nuisance; it is a measurable risk to long-term hearing and overall wellbeing,” said Giscard Bechara, Director, Starkey MEA. “Across the region, we are seeing hearing concerns emerge earlier in life, often linked to lifestyle and environmental noise. International Noise Awareness Day is a timely reminder that small, consistent steps, such as lowering volume levels, using hearing protection, and getting regular hearing checks, can make a real difference.”
The scale of the issue is significant. According to the World Health Organization, more than 430 million people globally live with disabling hearing loss, including around 34 million children. Nearly 80 per cent of those affected live in low- and middle-income countries, where access to timely hearing care is often limited. More than 430 million people globally live with disabling hearing loss, a figure projected to rise to over 700 million, or 1 in every 10 people, by 2050. The WHO also estimates that over 1 billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices, while unaddressed hearing loss already carries a global cost of nearly US$ 1 trillion each year.
Starkey continues to invest in advanced technology to support those already living with hearing loss. Earlier this year, Starkey MEA launched Omega AI, its latest hearing solution developed for patients across the Middle East and Africa. Built on Starkey’s AI-driven platform, Omega AI is designed to deliver clearer speech understanding in noisy environments, adapt intelligently to the wearer’s surroundings, and offer a more natural listening experience in the acoustically complex settings that define modern life in the region.
On this International Noise Awareness Day, Starkey MEA encourages everyone to pause, assess their listening habits, and prioritise their hearing as an essential part of their overall health. More information on the global campaign is available at noiseawareness.org.
