DOHA QATAR has the lowest infant mortality rate in the Arab world, said Dr Mohammed al Thani, director of Public Health Department at the Supreme Council of Health.
Speaking at the second edition of Sidra Symposium Series on Thursday, Dr Thani said the infant mortality rate in Qatar has declined between 2001 and 2010.
Dr Thani and other top medical experts speaking at the symposium titled ‘Neonatal Screening of Genetic Diseases and Child Development’ called for setting up of a national programme to make neonatal screening mandatory in order to prevent outbreak of diseases.
“Neonatal screening would be acceptable for newborns if supported by evidence to substantiate its importance in Qatar. This screening process can help to combat and prevent prevalent diseases such as diabetes, metabolic disorders, hypothyroidism and jaundice in the country,” Thani said.
He said the procedure would help in creating a healthier society.
“Once we have proven that this procedure has a positive impact on health, I would like to see a national programme from the Supreme Council of Health to ensure that all newborns are given the best start possible in life,” he added.
Hosted by the Sidra Medical and Research Centre, the symposium highlighted the benefits of newborn screening to diagnose and prevent genetic metabolic diseases.
Dr Tawfeg Ben Omran, head of Qatar Medical Genetics Center at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and professor at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMCQ), opined that increased awareness through family education about the newborn screening, family screening, initiation of effective premarital and preconception counselling and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis are imperative in early detection and treatment of inborn metabolism errors.
He said: “HMC’s newborn screening programme is aimed at ensuring that every newborn baby in Qatar receives high-quality and timely screenings and treatments for serious diseases. It has had great impact on preventing many treatable diseases. I support using our programme as a template for developing a national neonatal screening programme in the region.” The symposium also included a panel discussion featuring Dr Mohammed al Thani, Dr Tawfeg Ben Omran, CEO and Scientific Director of Helmhotz Zentrum Munchen Professor Gunther Wess, Director of the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch Professor Walter Rosenthal and Molecular Endocrinologist and Dean of the University Faculty Charite Berlin Professor Annette Grueters.
The session was attended by more than 40 top medical experts from the Supreme Council of Health, Hamad Medical Corporation , WCMC-Q and Qatar Foundation (QF).
According to the latest studies and international best practices, screening of newborn babies for metabolic diseases, which is performed through a simple blood test, should be done within the first 24 to 72 hours after birth.
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