New Delhi: on the Eve of World Birth Defect Day 2024 on Saturday, the World Health Organization highlighted the need to raise awareness about the birth defects and actions to prevent , detect and manage the congenital anomalies during intrauterine life of the infants.
A regional guidence document on screening new borns in three categories: hearing impairments, eye defects and hyperbilirubinaemia is been released on the occasion to facilitate the capacity building of member states, Wazed said.
It was pointed out that the contribution of congenital disorders to death is increasing among children under age of 5 years. Between 2000 and 2021 the contribution of birth defects to child mortality increased according to WHO in south-asia region from 4 percent to 11 percent .
“Birth Defects are sadly the third most cause of death now a days among children under age of 5 years in our region, accounting 11 percent of total. This is equivalent to death of 300 children under 5 years of age every day ” Wazed said.
Birth defects not only put impact on the individual but also impose burdens on the family, friends , the community and the health care system. The WHO regional director stated that while the genetic plays a major role in the etiology ( cause of disease) of birth anomalies , many birth defects can be prevented through addressing environmental factors. This includes change in lifestyle, exposure to pollution , studying socio-economic conditions that affects the women and foetus.
An integrated approaches has been adopted to implement intervention and the prevention and treatment of birth defects in existing national programme,said Wazed
” guided by regional strategic framework of all our member states have national plans for prevention and control of birth defects ” she added.
First countries needs to place the birth defects on their higher agendas and have to expand the commitments and leadership at both the policy and programme level along with commensurate financial allocation, she said.
secondly new regional , documents and videos on universal newborn screening on three conditions : hearing impairments, eye abnormalities, and hyperbilirubinaemia provide guidance on how simple tests can be integrated within the health system, she added.
Third focus should be raised on improving coverage and quality of preventive interventions such as rubella immunization, food fortification and quality antenatal care, she said
“Fourth, our member states must work together with community based networks , platforms and organisations to recognise the challenges, planning the curative and preventive methods according to different regions, preserverance of parents, caregivers and families of children with birth defects , to empower them to access services and support including social protections ” Wazed stated.
Finally the member states must sustain and expand the surveillance of congenital deformities , with a focus on improving coverage quality of surveillance with regular data analysis and application. The results of data analysis must be use for mobilising the resources along with improving program implementation.
“On world birth defects day 2024 WHO reaffirms it’s commitments to accelerate actions to prevent birth defects and manage the conditions, aligned with the ‘survive, thrive and transform ‘ agenda of the Global Strategy for Women , Children and Adolescents Health (2016 – 2030)” she concluded.
