Egypt screens over 1.4 million women under initiative to detect diseases transmitted to fetus

CAIRO – 6 May 2022: Egypt’s Health Ministry said it has detected 1,454,000 women as part of the presidential initiative for the early detection of and free treatment for diseases transmitted from mothers to fetus since the initiative was launched in March 2020.

The initiative, launched under the presidential “100 Million Health” initiative aims to ensure early detection of infection with Hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis for pregnant women, said Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the health ministry spokesman.

The initiative also follows up on the health condition of mothers and newborns for 42 days after delivery to avoid any risk for the mother or the newborn, take the required measures, and dispensing the necessary micronutrients during the postpartum period, the spokesman added.

The ministry also announced screening around 107,000 babies for genetic diseases since the launching of the presidential initiative for the early detection of such diseases on 13 July 2021.

The first phase consisted of screening babies at public hospitals’ incubators, while the second one is set to expand the scope of the service to encompass babies born at all healthcare units nationwide, the ministry said.

Abdel Ghaffar noted that the initiative screens newborn babies for 19 genetic diseases.

The diseases babies are screened for include congenital hypothyroidism; hemolytic anemia; congenital adrenal hyperplasia; cystic fibrosis; hereditary hyperlipidemia; ketonuria; tetrahydropyridine deficiency; Isovaleric acidaemia; and elevated levels of propionic and methylmalonic acids in blood.

This is in addition to maple syrup urine disease; hypertyrosinemia; galactosemia; homocystinuria; high arginine levels; increased citrulline; ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency; fatty acid oxidation; and biotinidase deficiency.

Egypt’s Health Ministry announced examining more than 2.9 million infants as part of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s initiative for the early detection of hearing loss and impairment in newborns.

Abdel Ghaffar said the number of hearing examination centers for newborns until the age of 28 days has increased to 3,500 health units in all Egyptian governorates.

Also, more than 7,000 non-Egyptian children residing in the country have been examined as part of the initiative based on the directives of President Sisi, Abdel-Ghaffar added.

Early detection of hearing impairment or loss facilitates treatment opportunities and helps children avoid speech problems that can cause psychological illness for newborns.

In mid-April, Egypt’s Health Ministry affirmed that the presidential health initiatives launched over the past years for the early detection and treatment of a number of diseases have so far supported 86 million people.

The initiatives launched under the major initiative of “100 Million Health” include an initiative to support the health of Egyptian women and an initiative to examine and treat people with chronic diseases and detect kidney disease.

This is in addition to an initiative to detect and treat hearing loss and impairment for newborns, an initiative to eliminate surgical waiting lists, an initiative to support maternal and fetal health, as well as the vaccination campaign against the emerging coronavirus pandemic.

Also, the ministry said 23,906,809 females were screened for breast cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity since the launching of the Women Health Initiative in July 2019.

The service is offered to females aged above 18 at 3,538 healthcare units, and 114 hospitals nationwide.

As for those diagnosed with breast cancer, they can receive free of charge treatment at 14 university hospitals, and 14 centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health and Population.