This year’s observance of the World Birth Defects Day last 3 March 2018 highlights that thru collective action and compassion, each and every one of us can do something for the prevention and treatment of birth defects. Anchored on the theme: “Sa Sama-samang Pagkilos at Pagkalinga, Sa Birth Defects, Tayo ay may Magagawa,” the World Birth Defects Day is an annual campaign for birth defects awareness, prevention, research, surveillance and care. Let me give you a rundown on how each of us can contribute in addressing birth defects:

The Local Government Units (LGUs) have an indispensable role not only in combatting malnutrition in Eastern Visayas by enhancing its Local Nutrition Action Plans (LNAPs) but also in ensuring that its Rural Health Units (RHUs) and hospitals can conduct free Newborn Screening (NBS) procedures to all newly-born babies since NBS it is already included in the PhilHealth Newborn Care Package. NBS is a simple procedure to find out if your baby has a congenital metabolic disorders that may lead to mental retardation or even death if left untreated since most babies with metabolic disorder look “normal” at birth. The result of early detection may lead to early treatment to prevent consequences of untreated conditions. Therefore, it is important that the special absorbent filter cards used in the screening are well-stocked and LGUs expand its NBS coverage since the 2016 data show that there are LGUs with only 61% coverage while some have exceeded at an impressive rate of 231%.

          Today, we have been busy in addressing the issue of Teenage Pregnancy that we seem to forget the aspect of improving the Pre-Conception Health of adolescent girls and boys of reproductive age especially on the matter of Folic Acid Supplementation. It is a common misconception that Folic Acid or Folate must only be taken when a woman is already pregnant and it is only for the consumption of women. We beg to disagree.  Folate or Vitamin B9 is an important vitamin to develop a healthy since it plays a vital role in the generation of healthy cells in our body such as Red Blood Cells. It is recommended that adolescent boys and girls age 14 years old and above to take 400 micrograms of Folic Acid every day. Adequate Vitamin B9 supplementation of women in reproductive age has been known to reduce 70% of chances of giving birth to babies with Neural Tube Defects and facial clefts.

          That is why, we welcome the initiative of the Department of Health and the Department of Education in implementing a school-based Weekly Iron-Folic acid (WIFA) Supplementation Program among female Grade 7 to 10 students throughout the country. The WIFA program is a component of the Menstrual Health Management Project of DepEd and the DOH Micronutrient Support, and Adolescent Health Development Programs since it was identified that iron and folic acid supplementation was identified as one of the interventions to address iron deficiency anemia and folate deficiency among women of the reproductive age, including adolescents. WIFA supplementation is expected to contribute to the reduction of the participants’ absenteeism due to ill health and the eventual improvement of their school performance.

          Children born with Rare Disorders – conditions that affect less than 1 in 20,000 individuals, may appear normal at birth, only to develop problems in later life that can be long standing, life threatening, progressive, disabling conditions that may require multi-disciplinary care. These children are at risk for serious consequences due to delay in and sometimes incorrect diagnosis due to lack of understanding of these disorders. Children born with Rare Disorders are rare and few, but they too have an equal right to life and an equal right to access to life support.

Let us help raise awareness on birth defects and rare disorders in the country, for adolescent girls to participate in the WIFA Supplementation Program of DepEd and DOH, advocate for the expansion of coverage of NBS in your locality, support the implementation of PPAN 2017-2022 and find time to commit yourself to volunteer work. The Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health (VYLH) – Philippines believes that is never too late for young people to be a volunteer youth leader. (RDC VIII PSR Leo Christian V. Lauzon)