The Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) and the National Health Security Office (NHSO) of Thailand announced a new initiative offering free screening for newborns to detect 24 rare medical conditions. This proactive move is part of a wider strategy designed to bolster the health of the nation’s children. This comes amidst an ongoing decline in the birth rate, with a current average of 1.4 births per woman, leading to an ageing population.

 

DMS director-general, Supakit Sirilak, highlighted the importance of the initiative in keeping Thailand’s median age from rising further. The free screenings are expected to serve as an incentive for women to have more children by providing early detection of foetal abnormalities and genetic conditions. This is particularly relevant for those residing in remote areas of the country.

 

Data from the Birth Defects Association (Thailand) shows that around 70 out of every 500,000 children born annually in Thailand have a rare, potentially life-threatening condition. The majority of these cases occur in rural areas, often due to close familial relations, as stated by the association’s president, Pornswan Wasant.

 

NHSO secretary-general, Dr Jadet Thammathataree, reassured that the cost of treating these 24 conditions, including patient transfers to hospitals with the necessary expertise, will be covered by the NHSO.

 

By Mitch Connor

Caption: Photo courtesy of Onward Healthcare

 

-- [source] 2023-08-25

 

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This article doesn't make sense, if they are going to check newborns how is this going to find fetal abnormalities. Checks before they are born makes more sense and is probably what is being offered.

6 hours ago, Dionigi said:

This article doesn't make sense, if they are going to check newborns how is this going to find fetal abnormalities. Checks before they are born makes more sense and is probably what is being offered.

I gave up, long ago, trying to understand Thai news reports. Life is too short.

Four  common sense options to boost birthrate:

 

1. Do not promote compulsive consumerism

2. Stable jobs 

3. Decent salaries 

4. Do not promote gender fluidity as normality