Newborn Screening Ideally, your baby undergoes Newborn Screening (NBS) within three days of his birth. NBS will be able to tell if your baby was born with any metabolic disorders that will affect his body's normal processes and functions. What is my baby being screened for? Currently, NBS tests for five disorders: • Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Deficiency A condition where the body lacks the enzyme called G6PD. The deficiency may cause hemolytic anemia, when the body is exposed to oxidative substances found in certain drugs, foods and chemicals. Parents of G6PD-positive babies receive a list of these substances from their doctor. While this is the mildest disorder that is covered in NBS, it is the most common: One out of 55 babies may be affected. Read more in our article on G6PD deficiency. • Congenital Hypothyroidism This is a lack of thyroid hormone, which your baby needs to grow. Treatment is required within the first four weeks of a baby's life to prevent stunted physical growth and mental retardation. One out of 3,369 babies is at risk. • Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia An endocrine disorder that causes severe salt loss, dehydration and abnormally high levels of male sex hormones. Left undetected and untreated, it can be fatal within seven to 14 days. One in 7,960 babies is at risk. • Galactosemia A condition in which babies cannot process the sugar present in milk (galactose). This
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Newborn Screening
Ideally, your baby undergoes Newborn Screening (NBS) within three days of his birth. NBS will be able to tell if your
baby was born with any metabolic disorders that will affect his body's normal processes and functions.
Current Status of NBS Implementation in the Philippines
Newborn Screening Legislation
NBS was integrated into the public health delivery system with the enactment of Republic Act 9288 or
Newborn Screening Act of 2004 as it institutionalized the ‘National NBS System’, which shall ensure the
following: [a] that every baby born in the Philippines is offered NBS; [b] the establishment and integration of
a sustainable NBS System within the public health delivery system; [c] that all health practitioners are aware
of the benefits of NBS and of their responsibilities in offering it; and [d] that all parents are aware of NBS
and their responsibility in protecting their child from any of the disorders. The highlights of the law and its
implementing rules and regulations are:
1. DOH is the lead agency tasked with implementing this law;2. Any health practitioner who delivers or assists in the delivery of a newborn in the Philippines shall prior
to delivery, inform parents or legal guardians of the newborns the availability, nature and benefits of NBS;
3. Health facilities shall integrate NBS in its delivery of health services;4. Creation of the Newborn Screening Reference Center at the National Institutes of Health and
establishment and accreditation of NSCs equipped with a NBS laboratory and recall/follow up program;5. Provision of NBS services as a requirement for licensing and accreditation, the DOH and the Philippine
Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC)6. Inclusion of cost of NBS in insurance benefits
Currently, there are four Newborn Screening Centers (NSCs) in the country: NSC-National Institutes of Health
in Manila; NSC- Visayas in Iloilo City; NSC-Mindanao in Davao City; and NSC-Central Luzon in Angeles City.
The four NSCs provide laboratory and follow up services for more than 3000+ health facilities.
DOH, its partners and major stakeholders remain aggressive in identifying strategies to intensify awareness
in the communities and increase coverage among home deliveries. Among the recent efforts to increase the
newborn screening coverage are appointment of full-time Regional NBS Coordinators; opening more G6PD
Confirmatory Laboratories; partnership with midwives organizations; and production of information materials
targeting different groups of health workers and professionals.
Key Players in the Implementation
Organizational chart for the national implementation of Newborn Screening
Newborn Screening Statistics
As of December 2010, there are 2,389,959 babies that have undergone NBS and based on these data, the
incidences of the following disorders are: CH (1: 3,324); CAH (1: 9,446); PKU (1: 149,372); Gal (1: 108,635)
and G6PD deficiency (1: 52). The program has saved the following numbers of newborns from complications
and/or death: 719 from CH, 253 from CAH, 22 from Gal, 16 from PKU and 44 273 from G6PD deficiency.
Coverage
As of December 2010, the coverage of NBS is at 35%.
DIRECTORY OF PROGRAM IMPLEMENTERS
National Center for Disease Prevention and Control –Family Health Office