NEWBORN SCREENING IN THE PHILIPPINES

Presented by:
Almario, John Lennard
Bolilan, Arvie Jane C.
Dayday, Joanna Patricia T.
Espiritu, Rhyzza Mae Y.
Narvaez, Gian Miguel A.
 BRIEF HISTORY OF NEWBORN
SCREENING IN THE PHILIPPINES
It is an essential public health strategy, for it allows the early identification and treatment of
detected congenital metabolic diseases, which, if untreated, can result in mental retardation
and/or death. For many years, it has been an essential component of standard infant care in
the majority of developed nations, either as a legal requirement or a health recommendation.
The affected person may experience normal growth and development if the problems are
identified early and treated. In 1996, a group of obstetricians and pediatricians in Metro Manila
launched the Philippine Newborn Screening Project, which marked the start of NBS in the
country. The team set out to ascertain the local prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH),
congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), phenylketonuria (PKU), galactosemia (Gal), and
homocystinuria (HCY) as well as to develop recommendations for the widespread adoption of
newborn screening. Samples for the study were sent every day to the Newborn Screening
Laboratory in New South Wales, Australia, starting in June 1996, and continued until September
1997, when a laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila
(now known as NSCNIH), was established.
MISSION, VISION, AND
GOAL OF NBS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
 Goal
Vision By year 2025, all
Filipino newborns are

Mission
The National Comprehensive screened for the more
Newborn Screening System common and
shares the vision of the Child lifethreatening
2025 Planning Framework congenital endocrine
To ensure that all aiming that by 2025, every and metabolic
Filipino children will Filipino child will be:  disorders.
have access to and will Born healthy and well, with an
avail of total quality inherent right to life, endowed
care for the optimal with human dignity; and
growth and Reaching her/his full potential
development of their with the right opportunities and
full potential. accessible resources.
 WHAT IS NEWBORN
SCREENING (NBS) AND THE
EXPANDED NEWBORN
SCREENING (ENBS) ?
Newborn Screening (NBS) is a simple procedure to find out
if your baby has a congenital disorder that may lead to
mental retardation or even death if left untreated.
Meanwhile, the expanded newborn screening program
increased the screening panel of disorders from six (6) to
more than twenty-eight.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE
OF NEWBORN SCREENING
(NBS) AND HOW IT IS
DONE?
Most babies with metabolic disorders look “normal” at birth.
By doing ENBS, metabolic disorders may be detected even
before clinical signs and symptoms are present. As a result
of this, treatment can be given early to prevent
consequences of untreated conditions. ENBS is ideally done
immediately after 24 hours from birth. A few drops of blood
are taken from the baby’s heel, blotted on a special
absorbent filter card and then sent to Newborn Screening
Center (NSC).
STEPS IN IMPLEMENTING
NEWBORN SCREENING
Newborn Screening Filter Card
WHAT DISORDERS CAN BE
DETECTED?
REFERENCES:
https://newbornscreening.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2024/01/National-Comprehensive-Newborn-
Screening-System-Manual-of-Operations-Print-
compressed_1.pdf?
fbclid=IwAR2h_Fhe5ZVmgKObGNhUVS4aDwzNriy3qwUGrB9UjeVr
xdagtOKscEr401s
https://ihg.upm.edu.ph/node/43