Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population recently announced that 469,805 newborns have undergone genetic disease screenings as part of the President of the Republic’s initiative known as “100 Million Health.” This campaign aims to detect genetic disorders early in newborns.
Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, explained that the initiative, launched in July 2021, is currently in its first phase. During this phase, the focus is on detecting 19 genetic diseases in premature babies within the incubators of the Ministry of Health and Population hospitals.
The second phase of the initiative will involve conducting a comprehensive medical survey of all newborns across health units nationwide.
Rasha Khidr, Head of the Basic Health Care and Family Development Sector, listed the 19 diseases targeted by the campaign. These include congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, bean anaemia, high levels of glutaric acid and isovaleric acid in the blood, urine diseases, maple syrup urine disease, cystic fibrosis, phenylketonuria, tetrahydropterin deficiency, high tyrosinemia (Type I), high blood galactose, high homocysteine in urine, high arginine in the blood, high citrulline in the blood, ornithine transcarbamoyl deficiency, fatty acid oxidation disorders, and biotinidase deficiency.
Khidr emphasised that the examination process involves taking a blood sample from the child’s heel and analyzing it in the laboratories of the Egyptian Center for Disease Control and Control (Egyptian CDC). The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art international equipment for detecting genetic diseases. If a sample tests positive, the child is referred for confirmatory testing, and necessary treatment is provided free of charge according to protocols established by the scientific committee overseeing the initiative.
Furthermore, Nanis Abdel Mohsen, coordinator of the Early Detection of Genetic Diseases Initiative, revealed that 42 centres have been designated to treat genetic diseases in newborns. These centres collaborate with the Supreme Council of University Hospitals of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The ongoing expansion of these centres aims to cover all governorates of the Republic. Their services include free treatment, periodic follow-up, and support for children with hereditary diseases, as well as counselling services for parents to reduce the risk of having children with genetic disorders.
