The Samoa Free to Hear Programme is an initiative we developed to help the Samoan community by providing free hearing health care. Since 2016, a team of audiologists, ear nurses, and client care coordinators from Bay Audiology have travelled to Samoa to help those with hearing loss.
On the 29th of July, a team of 7 people from Bay Audiology set off to Apia, Samoa to perform a 3-day hearing clinic for the community of Samoa. Working in partnership with the ENT department at Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital in Apia and Senese, a local not-for-profit organisation who provide services to the hearing impaired, our team were able to see hundreds of clients offering hearing checks, ear wax removal, and hearing aid fittings using donated hearing aids from both our clients and our suppliers, ReSound and Oticon.
“It was when we arrived and the Customs Officer said ‘are you with the hearing doctors’ and I said yes we are and he replied ‘on behalf of Samoa I’d like to thank you for the work you come and do here’. It was then I realised that therewas such a need for the programme and how grateful the people were for our help.”
Nicki, Bay Audiology Client Care Coordinator.
Thanks to the donation of hearing aids from our clients and suppliers our team were able to help the people of Samoa experience the joy of better hearing. During the trip we were able to fit 270 people with donated hearing aids, complete 97 ear nurse appointments and help many others with their hearing needs. Our 2023 trip led to a record number of people being fitted with hearing aids since the programme began in 2016.
“We had people queuing out the door waiting for our help and every single person we saw had significant hearing loss. It was so rewarding to be able to give them back their hearing and let them experience sound again.”
Jasmine, Bay Audiology Clinician.
We owe special thanks to our suppliers ReSound and Oticon for donating hearing aids to support this initiative.
