The plenary session of the National Assembly of Deputies approved in the third debate the project of Law 705, which establishes the obligatory nature of carrying out neonatal screening. With this new provision, it is contemplated to detect, as a preventive action, auditory, cardiac and visual problems in newborns, since the current legislation only took into consideration the metabolic test.
Mario Rodríguez, head of the section for children and adolescents of MINSA, highlighted that, with the approval of this bill, by the deputies, “the previous screenings are extended, in six (6) diseases and now it has been extended to four (4) more procedures, in addition to the metabolic one, now it will be possible to detect in time, if the child was born comes with a congenital problem of the ears, in his heart with a cardiac screening and most importantly, his vision is checked and verified that everything is fine”.
Rodríguez added that, in the genetics laboratory of the Children’s Hospital, 12,000 infants have been screened to date and about 800 children who have had a problem detected and these minors have already begun to intervene, guaranteeing a better quality of life for them.
The initiative consists of offering comprehensive care, medical and surgical treatment and necessary technical assistance, in a timely manner, corresponding to said diseases and/or disorders detected.
This new legal regulation will be of universal and free access for all newborns in the country as part of their initial care and under the responsibility of the Executive Branch.
After being approved before the plenary session of the National Assembly, this project awaits the corresponding sanction of the President of the Republic Laurentino Cortizo Cohen.
