The World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled implementation guidance on Tuesday for universal newborn screening in the South-East Asia Region, including Bangladesh. The guidance focuses on screening for hearing impairment, eye abnormalities, and neonatal jaundice, aiming to detect and manage these conditions early to prevent potential disabilities.
Saima Wazed, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia, released the guidance during a regional webinar on birth defects, urging all member states to adopt the recommendations. The guidance emphasizes the importance of pre-symptomatic detection shortly after birth, enabling early intervention and preventing long-term disabilities or premature deaths in children.
Member states of the WHO’s South-East Asia region, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor Leste, are encouraged to incorporate these simple yet effective screening tests into their health systems. The screenings are designed to be non-invasive and can be seamlessly integrated into existing healthcare processes, either before discharge after a health-facility birth or during the first postnatal care contact after a home birth.
Saima Wazed stressed the importance of enhancing care during the critical period around birth, emphasizing the need to ensure every child not only survives but also thrives to reach their full potential.
The collaborative efforts in the WHO South-Asia Region have seen remarkable progress, with a 45% decline in under-5 mortality rates between 2010 and 2021, surpassing global reductions. However, the contribution of birth defects to under-5 mortalities has increased from 4% to 11% in the last two decades. In response, the new guidance aims to address this trend and align with the Sustainable Development Goal targets for maternal, newborn, and child mortality by 2030.
Saima Wazed urged Member States and stakeholders to adopt, internalize, and implement the guidance for conducting these essential screening tests for all newborns, with a focus on standardized practices. As the region collectively strives to meet SDG targets, the emphasis is on ensuring the well-being of every newborn, everywhere.
