Ensuring A Safe Childhood

Pune-based newborn screening programme initiated in five pvt maternity homes

Shardul Nautiyal - Mumbai

"NeBOSP screens the baby through ELISA test on the fifth day of birth, which makes the baby medically fit having proper hormonal levels" - Dr Amita Phadnis, Project Director, NeBOSP

With an endeavour to test every newborn baby, who appears to be healthy at birth but is at a risk of having Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM), a pilot project of new-born screening has been initiated in five private maternity homes in Pune. The project named NeBOSP has been started in Shree Clinic, Bhave Hospital, Phadke Hospital, Sant Hospital and Swaminathan Hospital. The programme focuses on congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). The incidence for CH and CAH is one in 1850 Indian newborns and about one in every 2000 newborns, respectively. NeBOSP is doing 50 tests per month. The programme has so far screened over 210 babies.

Informs Dr Amita Phadnis, Project Director, NeBOSP, “We will be offering the screening programme in charitable hospitals soon. The programme has the potential to become a mass-screening programme” About shortlisting CH and CAH, she says, “All other metabolic diseases are screened, if there is a family history (G6PD deficiency) or clinical suspicion (e.g Urea Cycle Disorders). Most countries in the world screen for disorders, which are common in their country, e.g PKU in western countries.”

The newborns have to undergo a blood test- ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), which NeBOSP offers at Rs 150 per test. “The cost of the test will definitely go down further, if the volume increases. Therefore, awareness should be created in parents, that this disease can be diagnosed early by having blood tests. This would help save the child from mental retardation,” says Dr Phadnis, who is the Chairperson of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Neonatology Chapter.

According to Dr Shubha Phadke, Additional Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, “NeBOSP has taken up CH and CAH as they are the commonest metabolic disorders in newborns. However, in the absence of epidemiological data on CAH, such a programme would be of immense help.”

According to Dr Phadnis, Cord Blood TSH, which is done using Cord Blood at the time of birth, is not the preferred method of screening. “The approach adopted by NeBOSP is to screen the baby through ELISA test on the fifth day after birth, when the baby is medically fit having proper hormonal levels,” adds Dr Phadnis. The tests are performed on obtaining a small sample of blood by pricking the baby’s heel. The blood is allowed to dry on a piece of filter paper, which is sent for testing to a centralised lab. The response from parents have been positive, more so when recommended by paediatricians.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently announced a nationwide pilot project to screen newborns for IEM. Opines Dr Sharad Gogate, a leading perinatologist and a member of the ICMR pilot study, “Though NeBOSP is not a part of the ICMR’s study, it will help generate samples and will be a feasible project.” In many countries across the world, such programmes are funded by government or NGOs. NeBOSP is a newborn screening program privately funded by Dr Amita Phadnis. The programme is looking out for financial support or sponsorship to sustain it. The programme aims at screening the newborn at the earliest, identify metabolic/ endocrine disease for proper treatment and hence an improved quality of life for the child. It has come out with brochures on this new programme and has also launcheda website : www.nebosp.com

shardulnautiyal@rediffmail.com