Eight million babies born with birth defects worldwide
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on countries, including Namibia, to strengthen newborn screening programmes to improve the early detection and treatment of birth defects, saying timely diagnosis can save lives and prevent lifelong disability.
The appeal follows the release of a new WHO report, ‘Strengthening Capacity for Newborn Screening, Diagnosis and Management of Birth Defects’, which identifies newborn screening as a key intervention to improve child survival.
“An estimated eight million babies are born with birth defects each year, with congenital conditions now accounting for almost 8% of deaths among children under the age of five worldwide,” the report says.
The organisation says around 90% of children born with serious birth defects live in low- and middle-income countries, including many in sub-Saharan Africa, where access to screening, diagnosis and treatment remains limited.
WHO director general Tedros Ghebreyesus says: “No child should miss the chance for a healthy future because a congenital condition was not detected early enough”.
Tedros says countries around the world have shown that screening newborns for one or more conditions can save lives, prevent disability and give children the best opportunity to reach their full potential.
He says there are significant disparities in newborn screening globally, with some countries testing every newborn for more than 50 conditions, while others are unable to screen for any.
WHO is encouraging every country, including Namibia, to begin screening for at least one priority condition and expand services as health system capacity grows.
The report says many conditions, including congenital hypothyroidism, sickle-cell disease, hearing impairment and certain metabolic disorders, can be successfully treated if detected shortly after birth.
It has also found that birth defects account for a growing share of deaths in under-fives in many regions.
Between 2000 and 2023, the proportion of deaths in children under five linked to birth defects increased from 1% to 4% in sub-Saharan Africa and from 3% to 11% in South Asia.
The WHO says this trend partly reflects progress made in reducing deaths from infectious diseases and other preventable causes.
The report highlights successful newborn screening programmes in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Uganda, where early diagnosis has enabled children to receive timely treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care.
