98,000 Newborns Examined within Early Detection of Genetic Diseases Initiative

The Ministry of Health and Population announced that 284,000 newborns have been examined, as part of the Presidential initiative for early detection of genetic diseases in newborns, under the slogan “100 million health.”

The initiative aims to reach a healthy generation devoid of disease causes of disability.

Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Population, stated that the initiative is currently operating in its first phase, which aims to detect 19 genetic diseases in premature babies, in the incubators of the Ministry of Health and Population hospitals.

The second phase is scheduled to include conducting a medical survey of all newborns in all health units nationwide.

In turn, Dr. Hala Abdel Rahman, coordinator of the Early Detection of Genetic Diseases initiative, confirmed the allocation of 42 centers for the treatment of genetic diseases in newborns, in cooperation with the Supreme Council of University Hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

She added successive expansion is underway in the centers to include all governorates of the Republic.