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 birth defects account for a growing proportion of under-five deaths, prioritizing newborn screening can accelerate progress in child survival. The WHO report's emphasis on integrating newborn screening into national health systems can help address this issue, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia where the proportion of under-five deaths due to birth defects has increased significantly. By supporting ministries of health in prioritizing conditions for newborn screening, the WHO aims to reduce lifelong disability and deaths among children, ultimately giving millions of newborns a better chance at a healthy future.
About this story
Original reporting by ReliefWeb . Christgiving 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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Frequently asked about this story
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 Christgiving readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by World Health Organization at ReliefWeb. To learn more about how Christgiving selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
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