Over the past year, 3,000 infants were screened for sickle cell anaemia and congenital hypothyroidism in a pilot project at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
The project, which was supported by the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry (GBTI), has “provided valuable data and highlighted the need for continuous new-born screening in Guyana,” according to Dr Bibi Alladin-Karan, the project lead. Dr Alladin-Karan was assisted by Dr Mohamed Rambarran, a statement from GBTI said.
“It was the first new-born screening test to be done in Guyana with about 3,000 babies being screened at [the] GPHC post-natal ward over a one-year period. These babies were screened for congenital hypothyroidism and haemoglobinopathies. The data obtained provided baseline values for the Guyanese population and highlighted the importance of new-born screening,” Dr Alladin-Karan was quoted as saying.
