The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill proposing the establishment of a National Ear Centre in Bende, Abia State, as part of efforts to tackle the growing public health crisis of hearing loss in Nigeria.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Ear Centre, Bende for the Prevention, Management and Cure of Ear Defects and Diseases; and for Related Matters,” was jointly sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, alongside six other lawmakers.
In his presentation, co-sponsor Hon. Kama Nkemkanma described hearing loss as a national development issue, not just a medical concern, calling for urgent federal intervention to assist the millions of Nigerians affected by auditory health conditions.
He pointed out that ear-related diseases and impairments affect all demographics—ranging from children hindered in learning to speak, to the elderly grappling with age-related hearing decline—yet access to specialized care remains limited.
“The proposed centre will significantly improve access to expert diagnosis and treatment, enhance training for ENT specialists, and serve as a centre of excellence in auditory healthcare,” Nkemkanma stated.
Citing statistics from the World Health Organization, he noted that over 1.5 billion people globally suffer some form of hearing loss, with Nigeria bearing a considerable portion of that burden. He lamented that the country currently relies on just one National Ear Care Centre in Kaduna, which is overwhelmed and under-resourced.
“This bill does not seek to duplicate but to complement existing services. The new centre in Bende will serve as both a referral hospital and a training institution, boosting capacity to meet rising national demands,” he said.
He stressed that hearing loss cuts across ethnic, religious, and regional lines, and called on lawmakers to support the bill as a statement that access to ear care is a fundamental right.
“No child should be left behind in school due to an untreated ear infection. No adult should lose livelihood because of a preventable or manageable hearing condition,” he added.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, PhD, who presided over the session, put the bill to a voice vote. It passed without opposition and has now advanced to the committee stage for further legislative action.
