Newborn screening is an important public health method that provides for the early detection and treatment of a number of congenital diseases that, if untreated, may cause mental incapacity and mortality. In the Philippines, this became one of the necessary newborn care routines mandated by law— Republic Act 9288 or mostly known as the Newborn Screening Act of 2004.
This law was passed to uphold and advance everyone's right to health, including children's rights to life and to an entire and healthy childhood that allows them to grow into responsible, contributing members of society. To carry out this policy, the government legitimizes a national newborn screening program that is thorough, integrative, and sustainable. This ensures that every infant born in the country will have access to newborn screening through the National Newborn Screening System, protecting them from congenital disorders that can cause mental impairment and even death if left undiagnosed and untreated.
Within one hundred eight (180) days of the passage of this Act, the Department of Health (DOH) had established the Advisory Committee on Newborn Screening; established the implementing regulations and guidelines for the immediate implementation of a national newborn screening program; collaborated with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the implementation of the newborn screening program; and integrated with the NIH Newborn Screening Reference Center for the certification of newborn screening facilities as the lead agency in the implementation of this Act.
The Newborn Screening Center at the NIH, the first newborn screening facility in the nation to get Department of Health (DOH) accreditation, currently performs expanded newborn screening tests. The expanded newborn screening enables the identification of more genetic abnormalities, such as the following:
- Glucose-6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency
- Congenital Hypothyroidism
- Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
- Galactosemia
- Phenylketonuria
- Maple Syrup Urine Disease
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Biotinidase Deficiency
- Organic Acid Disorders
- Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders
- Amino Acid Disorders
- Urea Cycle Disorders
- Hemoglobin Disorders
As for the cost of the screening, according to Article 4, Section 16 of this law, the expenses of newborn screening will be covered by the PHIC's benefits package. The newborn screening fee is to be split and allocated for the following purposes to ensure the sustainability of the National System for Newborn Screening: at least 4% to the DOH's Centers for Health Development or its subsequent equivalent to being used solely for follow-up services, education, and other initiatives related directly to the stipulation of newborn screening services; at least 4% to the Newborn Screening Centers for development of human resources.
(//Kezziah Allyson M. Ruperez, CMU On-the-Job Trainee)
REFERENCES:
The LawPhil Project (n.d.). Republic Act No. 9288. Retrieved from https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2004/ra_9288_2004.html
Institute of Human Genetics- University of the Philippines Manila (2016). Newborn Screening Center – NIH. Retrieved from https://ihg.upm.edu.ph/node/15
