454,879 newborns examined as part of presidential initiative

The Ministry of Health and Population announced that around 454,879 babies have so far been screened as part of a presidential initiative for the early detection of genetic diseases in newborns.

Launched under the “100 Million Healthy Lives” presidential initiative, this campaign kicked off on July 13, 2021, aiming to build a disability-free healthy generation.

The first phase of the initiative includes detecting 19 genetic diseases in premature infants in hospital nurseries, affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Population, according to the ministry’s Spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar.

He said that the second phase entails screening newborns in all nurseries of university hospitals, private hospitals and health units nationwide.

According to Soad Abdel Meguid, head of the health care and nursing sector, the 19 diseases being screened included congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, folic anemia, cystic fibrosis, hereditary hyperlipidemia, phenylketonuria, tetraplegic deficiency Hydropetrin, organic acidity, elevated blood Isovaleric acidemia, elevated blood propionate/methylmalone, maple urine disease, blood tyrosine elevation-type 1, hypergalactosemia, elevated urine homocysteine, elevated blood arginine, elevated blood citrulline, ornithine deficiency Carbamoyl transporter, fatty acid oxidation and biotinidase deficiency.
The screening is carried out by taking a blood sample from the child’s heel, and analysing it at the Egyptian Centre for Diseases and Control (ECDC), Abdel-Razek explained.

Meanwhile, the ministry has announced that 13,627,511 citizens have been examined as part of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s initiative to examine and treat chronic diseases and provide early detection for kidney diseases since the launch of the initiative in September 2021 up to date.

The initiative operates through 3,601 primary care units nationwide and aims to provide early diagnosis.

All efforts are meant to treat chronic diseases and provide high-quality health services to all citizens in the age group over 40 years, in addition to young people over the age of 18 who have a history of chronic diseases.