Migration and newborn screening: time to build on the European Asylum, Integration and Migration Fund?

The authors discuss the need for newborn screening in the context of the migration policy of the European Union, and particularly, the European Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.

The authors searched scholarly databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Google scholar) and grey literature (LexEuropa, Policy reports) to identify original peer-reviewed research examining the migration to the European Union and the provision of healthcare to infants born to refugees and immigrant mothers. Resources in language different from English, French, German and Greek were not taken into consideration.

Every year, a large number of refugees and immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East countries travel to and enter in Europe. It has been estimated that two thirds of those seeking asylum are women and children. Many of these children have been born on the way to Europe or in migrant camps. Essential newborns' health screening is not accessible in most cases. Congenital conditions such as hypothyroidism and phenylketonuria may remain untreated, and once these infants are diagnosed, the organic damage could be irreversible. Prolonged necessary hospitalisation might be out of consideration at a time when clinics and hospitals are overstrained with COVID-19 patients.

It is essential to ensure that newborn screening will be performed in a timely and evidence-based manner as well as that the information will be communicated between hospitals and within countries' health networks. In order to achieve these goals interdisciplinary and international technical and logistical collaboration are required.