THE city of Manila received four Department of Health (DOH) awards for its Expanded Newborn Screening Program, placing second among local government units in Metro Manila, with three city health facilities also recognized for their performance.
Valenzuela City ranked first, followed by Manila and Pasig City, according to the Manila City government.
The DOH Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD) presented Manila with the Exemplary Local Government Unit Award during a recognition ceremony on Oct. 9.
Mayor Ramon Bagatsing Hospital and Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital were named Top Performing Newborn Screening Facilities, while Dr. Mariano Icasiano Lying-In Clinic received the Exemplary Newborn Screening Facility award.
Manila OIC-City Health Officer Dr. Grace Padilla and members of the city health cluster received the awards.
In a statement on Monday, Mayor Isko Moreno credited the city’s health personnel for the recognition, citing their role in ensuring newborns undergo screening for congenital conditions.
“This recognition belongs to our doctors, nurses and midwives. They are the ones doing the work, and they deserve every bit of this,” Moreno said.
Under Republic Act 9288, or the Newborn Screening Act of 2004, newborns are screened for more than 28 congenital conditions within the first 24 to 48 hours after birth through a blood sample taken from the heel.
Early detection allows doctors to identify conditions that may not show symptoms at birth and provide treatment when necessary.
“A few drops of blood from a baby’s heel, that is all it takes to detect conditions that could change the course of a child’s life. Our health workers make sure every baby born in Manila gets that chance,” Moreno said.
He stressed the importance of early screening, noting that some congenital conditions may go undetected until symptoms appear.
“By the time parents notice something is wrong, it may already be too late. That is why we screen early, and that is why this program matters,” he said.
Moreno identified health care as part of the city government’s Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) program.
“Health care is a crucial part of our Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) program. It is our commitment to every Manileño, including the most vulnerable, and no one is more vulnerable than a newborn child,” he said.
