Opening of the North Central Center for Prenatal and Newborn Screening and Diagnosis

On the morning of October 20, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital held the opening ceremony of the North Central Center for Prenatal and Newborn Screening and Diagnosis.

Attending the ceremony were Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Tien - Permanent Deputy Minister of Health; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Lan - Deputy Director General of General Department of Population; Dr. Shin Bong Shik - President of the Korean Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospitals; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Danh Cuong - Director of the Central Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrade Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; representatives of leaders of departments, branches, sectors, and medical units in the province.

Delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the North Central Center for Prenatal and Newborn Screening and Diagnosis. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In Nghe An, the prenatal and neonatal diagnostic screening specialty has been newly developed at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital since 2017. As of June 2018, the Hospital has coordinated with the Central Obstetrics Hospital and a number of units to perform prenatal screening for 6,595 cases, of which 858 cases of malformations were detected; prenatal screening for 678 cases, of which 4 cases of suspected G6PD deficiency (a genetic metabolic disorder related to gender) were detected, 01 case of adrenal hyperplasia, 03 cases of congenital hypothyroidism, 10 cases of metabolic disorders were detected; amniocentesis was performed for 47 cases, of which 4 cases of Down syndrome, 01 case of Klinefelter syndrome (a condition of non-disjunction of chromosomes in males), and 2 cases of microdeletions were detected.

The Center's equipment was invested in by the General Department of Population and Family Planning and Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. Photo: Thanh Cuong

From the achieved results, the General Department of Population and Family Planning issued Decision 179/QD-TCDS approving the Project "Improving population quality through the construction and expansion of the prenatal and newborn screening system in the North Central provinces in the period of 2016-2020 implemented by the Center for Prenatal and Newborn Screening of Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. The Center became the only facility in the North Central region to receive investment in modern medical equipment from the General Department of Population, Ministry of Health.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Tien affirmed that the establishment of the Center is of special importance in improving the population quality in the North Central region. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The North Central Center for Prenatal and Neonatal Screening and Diagnosis will be established and put into operation to perform the tasks of prenatal screening consultation, prenatal diagnosis, and newborn screening, in order to detect and intervene early, leading to treatment, monitoring, and management of congenital abnormalities in fetuses and newborns in Nghe An province and neighboring areas. This will contribute to improving the quality of the population in the North Central region.

Speaking to congratulate the North Central Center for Prenatal and Neonatal Screening and Diagnosis, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Tien affirmed: The establishment of the center is very necessary and valuable to people's lives and the future of the race.... The Permanent Deputy Minister of Health wishes that the center will quickly go into stable operation; continuously invest resources and intelligence to develop techniques; move towards diagnosing all diseases, including genetic diseases; and be worthy of being one of the five strongest prenatal and neonatal diagnostic centers in Vietnam.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Minh Thong requested that the staff and doctors of the Center constantly improve their professional skills and moral qualities to fulfill their tasks well. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Minh Thong expressed his thanks to the Ministry of Health, the General Department of Population and Family Planning, experts and medical staff who have helped Nghe An province in developing the field of prenatal and neonatal screening and diagnosis in general and Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital in particular. Comrade Le Minh Thong hopes to continue to receive more support so that Nghe An's healthcare will develop further and soon become a medical center of the North Central region according to Resolution 26 of the Politburo./.