Mumbai: Soon, civic hospitals will offer neonatal screening services. Doctors from the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital put forth a proposal before the standing committee and it is likely to be approved. Senior health officials said such screening was important to detect diseases in newborns so that they could offer treatment in a timely manner and thereby prevent progression of the disease. “We are considering starting such screenings in four major civic-run hospitals and awaiting approval of this proposal by the standing committee,” said Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health official.
Dr Keskar said if defects are spotted in newborns, doctors can immediately begin treatment. “It will also help diagnose or detect diseases which the infant may be prone to in the future and help us take pro-active measures for the baby's well-being,” she added. Doctors have welcomed this initiative of the BMC, stating it will reduce the risk of newborns acquiring disabilities or suffering from disease later in life. “There are four diagnostic tests through which screening can be done. These tests are also available in private hospitals but are expensive. As a result, people avoid getting those tests performed,” said Dr Jayashree Mondkar, neonatologist, Sion Hospital.
