1 Expanded NBS Dr Juban

Summary

The speaker discusses the Expanded Newborn Screening (ENS) program in the Philippines, highlighting its mission to ensure all Filipino children have access to quality care for optimal growth. ENS has evolved since 1996, with milestones including legislative support and increased disorder screening. As of 2019, it covers 29 disorders and has seen a dramatic increase in coverage. Challenges remain, such as improving turnaround time and patient adherence to treatment, especially amidst the 2020 pandemic. The program aims for 95% coverage and continues to expand its management and referral network for long-term patient care.

Takeaways

• 📅 The Newborn Screening program in the Philippines has been fully implemented for one year and has been in operation since 1996.
• 🏥 The program aims to ensure that all Filipino children have access to quality care for optimal growth and development.
• 🎯 The vision is for every Filipino child to be born healthy and well, with the goal of screening all newborns for common and rare genetic conditions by May 2030.
• 🚀 The program started with screening for six disorders and has expanded to screen for 29 different disorders.
• 📈 There has been a significant increase in coverage of the Newborn Screening program since it was covered by PhilHealth in May 2019.
• 📍 There are currently seven Newborn Screening centers operating in strategic areas of the country, with a new center in Central Visayas.
• 🔬 Confirmatory testing for certain conditions is centralized in specific hospitals and laboratories, emphasizing the need for a robust referral network.
• 🛑 The program faces challenges such as improving turnaround time, meeting quality indicators, and addressing issues with health reimbursement.
• 🏥 There are 15 continuity clinics to manage long-term follow-up care for newborns with positive screening results.
• 🌐 The program aims to establish satellite clinics in every province and municipality for better accessibility and follow-up care.
• 🔄 Despite the progress, there are still over 1,800 health facilities inactive in the program, indicating a need to address and overcome these challenges.

Q & A

What is the main objective of the Expanded Newborn Screening (ENBS) program in the Philippines?

The main objective of the ENBS program is to ensure that all Filipino newborns are screened and properly managed for common and rare genetic conditions to reduce preventable deaths of newborns by May 2030.

When did the Newborn Screening program start in the Philippines?

The Newborn Screening program started as a research project in 1996 and was later supported by the Department of Health in 1999.

What is the significance of the Presidential Proclamation declaring the first week of October as Newborn Screening Week?

The Presidential Proclamation emphasizes the importance of newborn screening and raises awareness about the program's role in detecting genetic conditions early.

What does the Newborn Screening Act of 2004 (Republic Act 9288) aim to institutionalize?

The Newborn Screening Act of 2004 aims to institutionalize a system where every baby born in the Philippines is offered the opportunity to undergo screening for hereditary conditions that can lead to mental retardation and death if undetected and untreated.

How many disorders were initially screened for in the Newborn Screening program, and how many are screened for now?

Initially, the program screened for six disorders. Now, with the expanded program, 29 disorders are screened.

What is the coverage of the sixth anniversary of the Continuous Newborn Screening (CNBS)?

The coverage of the sixth anniversary of CNBS shows a dramatic increase in the coverage of the Newborn Screening program in all regions since it was covered by PhilHealth in May 2019.

How many Newborn Screening centers are currently operating in the Philippines, and where is the newest center located?

There are currently seven Newborn Screening centers operating in strategic areas of the country. The newest center, which started in February 2020, is located at the Central Visayas at Eversley Child Sanitarium and General Hospital, servicing the entire Region 7.

What is the role of confirmatory centers in the Newborn Screening program?

Confirmatory centers are responsible for conducting further testing to confirm the results of the initial newborn screening. They are essential for the proper diagnosis and management of the detected conditions.

What is the purpose of the Continuity Clinics in the ENBS program?

The Continuity Clinics are set up to take care of newborns with positive screening results, ensuring they receive appropriate follow-up care and management for their lifetime disorders.

What is the goal of the Continuity Clinic program in terms of satellite clinics?

The goal of the Continuity Clinic program is to set up satellite clinics in every province and municipality to provide accessible follow-up care for patients with genetic disorders, reducing the need for them to travel far for treatment.

What challenges does the Newborn Screening program face, even without considering the impact of the current pandemic?

The program faces challenges such as improving turnaround time, meeting quality indicators, addressing the high number of inactive newborn screening facilities, resolving issues in PhilHealth reimbursement, improving patient adherence to treatment, and expanding the management and referral network.

What is the national target for the Newborn Screening program in terms of coverage and what progress has been made towards it?

The national target is for 95% of newborn screening facilities to offer expanded newborn screening and for 100% of failing cooperates to be addressed. As of the script's information, the program has reached 91% of its target and is optimistic about achieving the full target in the next 10 years.