A 2012 study in America found that children who had contracted HIV before birth were three or four times more likely than their peers to suffer hearing loss before the age of 16.
The world’s highest rate of HIV occurs in Swaziland. There are 19,300 deaf children in this tiny African country – compared to 45,000 deaf children in the UK, which has a population more than 50 times the size.
Ngcebo Mbuli who heads up a team for the Bible Society in Swaziland says “more people are becoming deaf in childhood. Many deaf people also have sight problems, they end up being illiterate, and they feel discriminated against”.
Deafax has a training module which includes Sexual Health, Safe Sex and Sexually Transmitted Infections. Currently we are mainly UK based, but awareness raising about this important area is critical all over the world. Contact us to find out more, or to book one of our sessions.