The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Task force to prevent birth disorders mooted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 20, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Task force to prevent birth disorders mooted

By Y.Mallikarjun

HYDERABAD, DEC.19. A task force to initiate preventive measures to curb congenital diseases in the State, where 75,000 to 1 lakh children are born with disorders every year, has been suggested by a group of doctors.

The proposal was made by the `International Foundation For Prevention of Birth Disorders' to the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, recently for creating awareness among medical fraternity on the strategies to be adopted. The foundation's representatives advocated that the task force should comprise medical/genetic experts, in accordance with WHO guidelines.

B. Srinadh, the general secretary of the foundation, who is consultant, foetal medicine and reproductive genetics at a city hospital, quoting WHO and other studies, told The Hindu that prevention was the only way of dealing with congenital diseases. About 50 per cent of them were not correctable due to underlying genetic defect.

Alarming situation

"We told the Chief Minister that allocation of Rs. 40 crores will be only a temporary measure, as new cases keep accumulating every year. There will be about 10 lakh cases at the end of 10 years if there is no prevention." Besides, the treatment would only provide a superficial remedy and not correct the genetic disorder in the long term, he said.

Awareness campaign

Dr. Srinadh said the emphasis even in the US, UK and Canada was on preventing the congenital disorders. Cyprus had eradicated thalassemia in six to seven years by adopting a rigid preventive strategy at the primary and secondary levels. On an average, they used to spend about Rs.15 lakhs for treating each case.

The Foundation planned to launch awareness among doctors on preventing congenital disorders, particularly at the primary level, by involving the IMA chapters. " Our first objective is to educate doctors and then the public", observed Dr. Srinadh.

Consanguineous marriages, incidence of viral infection and lack of nutritious food for pregnant women were among chief causes for birth disorders. Smoking, alcohol, use of drugs in early pregnancy without medical advice, high maternal age and environmental pollution also contribute to increasing congenital diseases. "Even passive smoking might be harmful in some cases," he warned.

According to WHO guidelines, the primary-level care should form the backbone of health actions in genetics, with emphasis on adopting low-level technology and reaching a large population. Actions needed at the primary health care, include public education in genetics, detection of genetic risks, rubella immunisation and pre-natal screening for Down's Syndrome.

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