disaster
World: Strengthening capacity for newborn screening, diagnosis and management of birth defects: WHO technical consultation on planning and implementing services integrated into national health systems in low- and middle-income countries
By World Health Organization at ReliefWeb
· June 24, 2026
· 4 min read
. WHO urges scale up of newborn screening to improve early detection and care of birth defects The World Health Organization (WHO) today calls on countries to expand newborn screening for birth defects, highlighting how early detection and treatment can save lives and reduce lifelong disability for
Key takeaway "No child should miss the chance for a healthy future because a congenital condition was not detected early enough," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
Why this matters
The World Health Organization's call to expand newborn screening for birth defects highlights a critical gap in healthcare services, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where 90% of children with serious birth defects reside. The fact that some countries screen all newborns for over 50 conditions while others cannot screen for any underscores the vast disparities in healthcare capacity. As the proportion of under-five deaths attributable to birth defects increases, it is essential for countries to prioritize newborn screening and develop strategies to integrate these services into national health systems. The WHO report provides a crucial framework for ministries of health to assess their country's context and prioritize conditions for newborn screening, ultimately saving lives and reducing lifelong disability for millions of children. By scaling up newborn screening, countries can accelerate progress in child survival and give newborns the best opportunity to fulfill their potential, which is a key aspect of humanitarian relief and faith-based giving efforts focused on global health and child welfare.
About this story
Original reporting by ReliefWeb . Jesus Give surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: disaster ·
Published: June 24, 2026 ·
Source: ReliefWeb ·
Reading time: 4 min
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What is this story about? . WHO urges scale up of newborn screening to improve early detection and care of birth defects The World Health Organization (WHO) today calls on countries to expand newborn screening for birth defects, highlighting how early detection and treatment can save lives and reduce lifelong disability for
When was this published? This article was first published on June 24, 2026 by ReliefWeb and curated for Jesus Give readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by World Health Organization at ReliefWeb. To learn more about how Jesus Give selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
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