Newborn screening in Indonesia

In Indonesia, newborn screening is not yet a policy, and the incidence of preventable causes of mental retardation detected by newborn screening is not known. Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is not infrequent. Without a screening program, unrecognized CH patients were neglected for years. Since May 1999, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has assisted in starting a CH Newborn Screening Project to estimate the local incidence of CH and to evaluate the problems associated with the screening. In June 2000, a pilot study was conducted using primary TSH measurement, supplemented by T4 in infants with elevated TSH. The target was to screen 12,000 newborn infants, using cord blood serum taken at birth, or a heel prick between 2 to 6 days of age. Between June 2000 and February 2001, 3,534 neonates born in 4 hospitals were screened using cord blood serum taken at birth (recall rate 3.3%). From March 2001 onwards, the heel prick method was used and participating hospitals increased from 4 to 7. Using this approach, until August 2001, 3,309 samples were analysed and the recall rate was much lower (0.64%). The number of unsatisfactory samples was relatively high due to an unstable process of blood collection. Parental refusal and low acceptance of screening among policy makers resulted from lack of awareness of the dangers of CH, and the screening program was not considered a health priority. Recall of patients after screening was a major barrier, with problems in tracking patients arising from urbanization and a high rate of relocation. To advance the CH screening program nationwide, infrastructure must be improved along with the recall system, and education as well as information campaigns for parents and medical professionals must be intensified. The Department of Health must be persuaded to give a national mandate.