October 31, 2019 — Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco T. Duque III called on the participants of the recently-held 17th Annual Newborn Screening Convention to more effectively disseminate and communicate the impact and contributions of newborn screening as a health intervention. 

Before the 1,700 delegates composed of health practitioners, newborn screening advocates, and academicians, Duque emphasized the goal of promoting the Newborn Screening Program in his keynote speech for the convention with the theme “Enhancing Coverage, Communication, and Collaborations towards Successful Expanded Newborn Screening Program.”

“Many remain uninformed or may even doubt the efficacy of scientifically-proven health innovations and technologies. In the 21st century, technology is so advanced that [testing] a drop of blood can save a life and it has been proven that effective screening and managing these diseases drastically increases the chances of our children for a long, healthy normal life,” the health secretary stated.

Duque pointed out that the first 24 hours of life is crucial for the newborn child. Newborn screening during this period gives every child an opportunity for a healthier outcome. He reminded everyone that by providing informed health choices for parents and through the empowerment of health workers to be leaders in health promotion, the best possible future for the Filipino children – a big leap to pave the way for a healthy Filipino nation – may be secured.

Moreover, Duque rallied for the expertise and support of delegates to help attain the goal of screening all Filipino newborns by 2030. He encouraged implementers to be both innovative and courageous in responding to the difficulties and challenges that will arise. He highlighted that the principles being carried out by the newborn screening program of universality, inclusivity, and person-centeredness are the same principles that DOH ushers in through Universal Health Care. He acknowledged all allies in helping build a healthier future for Filipinos and expressed hopes that the NBS program will be instrumental in engaging parents and health workers to proactively choose health. 

Duque is a staunch supporter of newborn screening. During his term as Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) President and CEO from 2001-2005 and his first stint as Secretary of Health in 2005 to 2010, newborn screening reached significant milestones including its inclusion into PhilHealth’s Newborn Care Package. In 2018, as chair of PhilHealth, Duque supported the funding of the expanded newborn screening which increased coverage to 29 disorders. PhilHealth Circular No. 2018-0021, which took effect on January 6, 2019, introduced the enhanced Newborn Care Package, increasing the amount of newborn screening availment from P550 to P1,750.

In the same program, DOH Director for Bureau of International Health Cooperation Dr. Mar Wynn Bello presented the impact of the recently-enacted Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act on the newborn screening program. With the movement towards UHC and the promotion of Primary Care, every Filipino will be granted automatic PhilHealth coverage. Health access will, thus, be made closer and more accessible to the people. UHC will significantly reduce the high out-of-pocket expenditures for health. 

The law ensures that all Filipinos will be granted immediate access to the full spectrum of health care which includes preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care while ensuring that the availment of these services does not subject the users to financial hardship. Bello discussed the complementary reforms in health financing, service delivery, regulation, and governance that the DOH has been working on. Under UHC, further efforts and additional resources will be applied to reduce maternal and child mortality, morbidity, and mortality. 

Now that PhilHealth covers the expanded newborn screening in full and UHC automatically enrolls all Filipinos in the government’s health insurance program, these developments will encourage everyone including the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized segments of the population, to seek and obtain needed newborn care services. 
 

Contributed article | Published in UP Manila Healthscape September – October 2019