Health
Noise: Why You Need To Protect Your Hearing
An Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) expert and Head and Neck surgeon with the Federal Medical Center, Abuja, Dr. Oyeyipo Yemisi, has said that generally, noise affects the ear and it results in what is called noise-induced hearing loss.
The consultant ENT told LEADERSHIP that noise-induced hearing loss results from exposure to loud noise.
She said “We can have just noise induced hearing loss which actually ranges from just having noise in the ear. It starts actually with people feeling noise in their ears, that is usually like the warning sign that you are about to lose your hearing from this noise. Some people just have hearing loss immediately and for some other people, it is due to what we call acoustic trauma which occurs when a person hears a loud noise that suddenly knocks off the person’s hearing. So the louder the noise, the more dangerous it is to the ear and noise of about 85 decibel is usually considered very loud and it is very dangerous to the ear.”
On sources of noise, she said it could either be from recreational activities or from occupational activities.
“Recreational activities: people who go to the nightclub, and the use of personal music devices like people who use iPod, earpiece, Bluetooth, all these things that people put over their ears, they generate noise and the noise go directly into the ear and exposure to this noise over time affects the ear and it causes either noise in the ear or hearing loss.
However, she said each person’s threshold differs. “Some persons can use these things for some time without any issues, but some other persons can use it for just a few days and they will develop hearing loss. So the individual threshold varies but what we are sure of is that these things affect the ear negatively.”
On occupational sources of noise, she said people who work in places where a lot of noise is being generated, especially people like soldiers and policemen who are exposed to gun shot and then maybe people who work with heavy machines that generate a lot of noise.
Also, she said people who work in telecommunication or call centres, who have to put headphones in their ear and all of that. “This is actually dangerous and a lot of them have reported noise in their ears since they started working in the company.
Oyeyipo also said that even generators that we use everyday generate a lot of noise that can affect hearing. “If you go to a market where everybody uses a generator, the generator is so loud that if you just simply pass through there for a few minutes, you can hear your ear still making that noise, sometimes it’s like your ear gets blocked for a while and then later it opens up again. These are actually warning signs that you have exposed your ear to very loud sound that can damage your ear and the earlier you remove yourself from there, the better,” she said.
On how to prevent hearing loss from exposure to noise, the expert said “Don’t put our phone on speaker and put it on your ear.
Even if you must use some of these things, you use the ones that have noise cancelling features. Don’t increase your phone volume above 50 per cent of the maximum volume and it should not be for long hours. Then generators should not be kept close to the house, avoiding noisy places generally. If you must be in a noisy place, you can protect your ear by wearing ear plugs or ear muffs, don’t increase your phone volume above 50 per cent of the total volume.”
The Oyo State Government has confirmed a Lassa fever case at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where a 44-year-old woman died, prompting the activation of emergency response measures and immediate contact tracing to contain the disease.
The state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying, “The patient died on April 11, 2026, while receiving treatment, while laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever was received on April 13.”
She added that the Ministry of Health had swiftly activated its emergency response system, including the establishment of an Incident Management System to coordinate response activities across the state.
According to her, “All identified contacts of the deceased are being closely monitored, while necessary measures have been taken to ensure a safe and dignified burial in line with public health protocols.”
Ajetunmobi urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, chest pain or difficulty breathing.
She stressed, “Early presentation at health facilities significantly improves the chances of survival.”
The commissioner explained that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces of infected rodents.
“It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids, especially in healthcare settings where infection prevention measures are not strictly observed,” she said.
She advised residents to maintain strict environmental hygiene, including proper waste disposal, safe storage of food in rodent-proof containers and avoiding drying food items on bare ground or roadsides.
Ajetunmobi also urged households to seal holes and entry points to prevent rodent access, while emphasising regular handwashing and good personal hygiene.
Residents, she said, should report suspected cases through designated emergency lines, while health workers must strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the commissioner said surveillance had been intensified across the state, with all health facilities placed on alert.
“There is no cause for panic. The situation is under control, and Lassa fever is both preventable and treatable when detected early,” she assured.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.
Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.
Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.
The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.
Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.
“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.
He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.
Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.
In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”
The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.
Chairman of Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr. Fidelis Akhagboso Ayebae, and Chief Executive Officer of Hazon Holdings, Dr. Victor ’Gbenga Afolabi, are set to lead discussions at the second edition of the D’Bio Wellness & Selfcare Summit.
The event is scheduled to hold on September 24 and 25 at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
This year’s summit has the theme: “Self-Care as a Driver of Optimal Health and Wellness.”
Ayebae will serve as chairman of the event, while Afolabi, who is also the co-founder of Wellness HMO, will deliver the keynote address.
Ayebae, founder of Fidson Healthcare, is regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical entrepreneurs. He is a fellow of the Institute of Directors Nigeria and the Institute of Corporate Affairs Management, and has held significant roles in the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
Afolabi has more than 20 years’ experience spanning healthcare, finance, technology and marketing. He is also the founder of the Eko Innovation Centre, a Lagos-based technology hub that supports start-ups and young entrepreneurs.
Convener of the summit, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, said the event would focus on practical steps to improve health outcomes through self-care.
She said, “We are excited to welcome Dr. Ayebae and Dr. Afolabi as pivotal figures in our quest to enhance health literacy and empower individuals to prioritise self-care. This summit is not just about discussions; it is about actionable insights that can inspire and transform lives.”
The organisers said the two-day summit is open to the public and will feature panel sessions with health and wellness experts, attracting healthcare professionals, advocates and business leaders.
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