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Newborn screening in Bangladesh
Mizanul Hasan1, Nurun Nahar, Fauzia Moslem
1Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Ultrasound, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Block-D, 7th Floor, Room No. 804, Shahabagh Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. drhasan_m@yahoo.com
Insights
Newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) began in Bangladesh in 1999. Pilot projects screened 30,000 newborns, identifying 16 cases, paving the way for a national program.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in Bangladesh commenced in 1999, supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
- Initial efforts involved two pilot projects screening approximately 30,000 newborns, identifying 16 cases of CH.
- The program faces challenges due to Bangladesh's large population, high birth rate, low per capita income, and a high percentage of home births.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish and expand newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) nationwide in Bangladesh.
- To increase laboratory facilities and screening capacity for early detection of CH.
- To address the public health challenge of identifying CH in a resource-limited setting.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of pilot projects to screen newborns for CH.
- Government approval and initiation of a national project for expanded screening in selected areas.
- Provision of equipment, reagents, training, and expert services, initially by IAEA.
Main Results:
- Successful completion of two pilot projects, screening around 30,000 newborns.
- Identification of 16 newborns with congenital hypothyroidism during the pilot phases.
- Governmental commitment to a national project targeting 200,000 newborns and enhancing laboratory infrastructure.
Conclusions:
- Newborn screening for CH in Bangladesh has demonstrated feasibility through pilot projects.
- A national program is underway to scale up screening efforts and improve diagnostic capabilities.
- Overcoming socio-economic and logistical challenges is crucial for the success of nationwide newborn screening.
Abstract:
Newborn screening started in Bangladesh in 1999. The programme started as part of a regional project of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to screen for congenital hypothyroidism (CH). In the beginning the IAEA helped the country with equipment, filter papers, reagents, training and expert services. Since 1999, 2 pilot projects to screen newborns for CH were completed. Under these projects some 30,000 newborns were screened and 16 were identified with hypothyroidism. The government of Bangladesh approved a national project in July 2006 to screen newborns in some selected areas of the country for CH. Under the project some 200,000 newborns will be screened and laboratory facilities for newborn screening will be increased. Bangladesh has a large population of about 140 million. With the current birth rate some 2 million new births take place every year. The socio-economic situation of the country is also different. Per capita income of the country is one of the lowest in the world. About 85% of babies are still delivered at home. As such newborn screening is a big challenge for Bangladesh. However, the country is trying to overcome these challenges.
