The European picture of neonatal screening looks extremely uneven, and unfortunately, the Republic of Cyprus ranks last in this ranking.
According to recent data, while 87 different rare diseases detection programs are in place across the European Union, the Cypriot healthcare system is limited to checking newborns for just two pathologies. These are congenital hypothyroidism and phenylketonuria, more commonly known as PKU.
Such a modest list puts Cyprus on a par with Malta – both countries complete the pan-European table with a minimal set of analyses. For comparison, neighboring Greece, along with Lithuania, are much higher, testing for 12 hereditary ailments. The leaders are showing impressive results: Italy is testing infants for at least 43 pathologies, and two more are under pilot projects. Slovakia is engaged in the diagnosis of 36 diseases (plus four in an experimental mode). Next on the list are Poland (30), Portugal (29), Austria (28) and the Netherlands (27).
The European report specifically emphasizes that rare diseases, although they occur infrequently — about one case per two thousand people — in the vast majority of cases they become apparent in childhood. Moreover, about half of these pathologies are of a genetic nature. Neonatal screening has long been recognized worldwide as the gold standard of preventive medicine, because it allows you to identify dangerous disorders at the earliest possible time, when treatment is most effective. The procedure is simple and painless: doctors take only a few drops of blood from the baby’s heel.
The Cyprus Ministry of Health says it is well aware of the importance of screening as a key tool for early diagnosis. The official commentary of the department says that targeted steps are already being taken to modernize the existing program. The main ambitious goal is to gradually expand the list of investigated diseases from the current two to ten. However, no specific time frame has yet been announced for the implementation of this plan.
Another significant difference between the EU member States concerns the timing of biomaterial collection. As noted in a study by the European Parliamentary Research Service, this indicator varies from 24 to 144 hours after the birth of a child. In the vast majority of countries, samples are taken between 48 and 72 hours of life, which is considered the optimal window for obtaining reliable results.
It is noteworthy that the Cyprus program has not undergone significant changes for several decades, although there is already an active discussion at the level of the European Union about the need to develop common standards for all participating countries. Experts agree that the unification of approaches will ensure equal access to quality prevention regardless of the place of birth of the child.
A source: alphanews.live
https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/kipr-okazalsya-autsajderax-zdorovyu-novorozhdennyix
