Tamil Nadu should start new born screening to save babies from neo-natal disorders, says expert

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu government should start newborn screening programmes in the state to save babies from neo-natal disorders, according to an expert.

Delivering the Air Vice  Marshal V Krsihnaswamy Memorial Oration organized by Madhuram Narayanan Centre for Exceptional Children, Chennai, here on Tuesday, National Science Professor of IIT Delhi and former secretary of department of biotechnology M K Bhan said that this would help identify children who may be born with metabolic diseases so that early and preventive treatment can be initiated.

Interestingly, if the disorder is left untreated it could result in health complications or inhibit mental and physical development, Bhan, who is the recipient of Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar award for science and technology, the highest science award in medical science category.

He also suggested that it should be started as a national programme. He also highlighted the evils of child marriage which is also affecting the child. “We grew up thinking our mothers are the best. But in rural areas of Central India and other parts, women while breast feeding their children don’t touch them,” he said.

This is mostly due to the fact that most these women get married before they attain the age of 18. As a result they lack physical as well as emotional quotient, he said.

He said lack of love defects gene function. He also stressed the need for Kangroo mother care in India. “It does have a profound affect on the child. He said India is currently backing such a programme.  Kangaroo mother care is a method of care of preterm infants. The method involves infants being carried, usually by the mother, with skin-to-skin contact.

He said in India 27 million baqbies are born every year and the country in the last 10 years has reduced the mortality rate by one million every year. “We have saved 10 million children in the last decade,” said Bhan but said it is not enough.

While citing the example of Sri lanka which has less mortality rate than United states, he said one has to look at model of social development on how much one can achieve with limited resources.

Highlighting the challenges faced in india, he said the social development model in India is not functional as the place of women in the society lays challenged.

He also stressed the need to introspect on the food culture while stating that around 50 per cent babies are undernourished or wasted. He also said that 27 per cent of districts in India has achieved the million development goals enunciated by the United Nations.