Newborn screening from dried blood sampling may reduce infant mortality: Speakers

Birth defects constitute seven per cent of neonatal deaths in Bangladesh. Introducing newborn screening from Dried Blood Sampling widely may reduce infant mortality and save many children from lifelong disabilities.

Speakers said this at a policy session on ‘Newborn Screening from Dried Blood Sampling; Bangladesh Status and Way Forward’ today, Wednesday.

The session was part of two-day long ‘7th International Conference 2025’ organised by Bangladesh Neonatal Forum (BNF) at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center in city.

Presenting keynote paper at the session, Professor Sanjoy Kumer Dey, Secretary General of BNF, said many disorders such Congenital Hypothyroidism, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, and metabolic diseases that are clinically silent or non visible at birth can be detected easily through newborn screening from DBS.

Newborn screening is important as it detects serious but treatable conditions before symptoms appear, enables early intervention and significantly improves neurodevelopmental outcomes and quality of life.

Professor Sanjoy said the newborn screening is also cost-effective compared to managing complications from late diagnosis and it aligns with global standards.

DBS is a method of collecting capillary blood (usually via heel prick in newborns) on a special filter paper. After drying, the blood spots are used for biochemical, enzymatic, hormonal, or genetic testing.

“For example, blood samples drawn in Khulna can be tested in Dhaka without needing the patient to come,” Prof Sanjoy said.

He said India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been conducting DBS either partially or running pilot programmes.

“Other neighbouring countries are ahead of Bangladesh in terms of practising DBS,” he added.

The challenges he identified implementing the screening as a national programme are planning, education, logistical support, evaluation and sustainability.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, under an IAEA Regional Project conducted Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) Screening in Bangladesh in three phases in 2001-2006, 2006-2011 and 2018-2022 and screened over 750,000 newborn and detected 386 confirmed cases.

Health ministry can do the screening more efficiently as it has officials up to grassroots level, he said.

Addressing the discussion as Chief Guest, Md Sarwar Bari, Secretary of Medical Education and Family Welfare Division of the Health Ministry, said newborn screening from DBS is comparatively cheaper and easier. So there is no reason not to adopt it widely despite having some challenges.

Bradford L Therrell, Director of National Newborn Screening and Global Resource Centre of the US, said about 35 per cent of babies around the world receive some form of newborn screening. Babies in America, Europe and Latin America receive newborn screening more than babies in Asia and Africa.

Replying to a query about the challenges, he said although screening is not expensive, it requires funds.

Professor Nazmul Hosain, Director General of Directorate General of Medical Education; Carmencita D Pedilla, Emeritus Professor of College of Medicine, University of Philippines, Manila, Professor Nazmun Nahar, founder of BNF, Professor Fauzia Moslem, who started first project on screening for congenital hypothyroidism in Bangladesh, among others spoke at the discussion chaired by BNF President Md Monir Hossain.