CHENNAI: Every year 21,000 babies are born with hearing impairment in India. Immunising girls during adolescence and child bearing phases can help prevent 40 per cent of these cases, R. Rangasayee, director, National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai, said here on Tuesday.

Another 40 per cent of the children were born with hearing impairment due to genetic problems.

This could be tackled by early identification and intervention, which could help the disabled to improve their capabilities.

Awareness of these things was of utmost importance and this could be achieved only through mass media, Mr Rangasayee said inaugurating a meet on "Media and Disability" conducted at Dr. MGR Home and Higher Secondary School for the Speech and Hearing Impaired, Ramavaram, to mark the 89th birth anniversary of the late M.G. Ramachandran.

"As 1.8 per cent of the population in India has disabilities, and a lot is to be done to increase the flow of funds to uplift their lives. Awareness among the disabled in claiming disability insurance, and empowerment of the rehabilitation centres are other things to be taken care of. All these can be attained only when the society becomes conscious of the rights of the disabled. For this, media should take more effort," he added.

Rita Mary, director, GHADG, Chennai and A. Pitchai, former director of the "Disabled", spoke on the role of media in making the disabled, a productive part of society. T.A.P. Varadakutty, State president, Tamil Nadu Association for Welfare of the Physically Handicapped, "Savithri" Kannan, managing editor, Rajamuthirai, Arivanandam, professor, NIVH, Chennai, and Latha Rajendran, principal of the school also spoke.

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