Newborn screening for infants urged
Roxas City -- Health officials in Capiz have urged the parents of newborn infants to submit them to newborn screening. According to Dr. Elmer Bucayan, Department of Health (DOH) representative in Capiz, in order to detect at the early stage certain heritable conditions that can result in mental retardation or even death, parents should allow their babies to undergo the newborn screening.
Bucayan explained that through the newborn screening procedure, the baby's medical condition that can result in mental retardation or even death can be given appropriate treatment if detected early. He stressed that the newborn screening should be performed in the newborn facility within 24 to 72 hours from birth.
He said that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has also been providing the benefits claim of their card holders not only in hospitals but also in PhilHealth accredited Rural Health Units (RHUs).
Bucayan disclosed that in Capiz, the RHUs of President Roxas and Dumalag towns, which are PhilHealth accredited, are already providing newborn screening procedure. On the other hand, Dr. Pilar Posadas, Rural Health Physician of President Roxas said that among those diseases that can detected through newborn screening include Congenital hypothyroidism, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Phenylketonuria, Galactosemia and Glocuse 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (G6PD Deficiency).
In Western Visayas, the most common disease detected among infants is the G6PD, also known as hymolitis anemia, Posadas said.
She revealed that to encourage more mothers to make use of their birthing facilities at the RHU, they will free their clients from the payment of fees for the newborn screening. She pointed out that only those clients who were not yet enrolled by their town in the PhilHealth's indigency program and who have availed the complete pre-natal check ups could avail of said free services.
Posadas said that through said program, they hope to encourage more mothers to avail of the services like birth delivery in order to avoid infant and maternal deaths. According to Posadas, the submission of newborn babies to newborn screening is mandatory after the passage of Republic Act 9288, otherwise known as the Newborn Screening Act of 2004.
(PIA)