By Nathan Isabirye | Every year health care professionals come together as friends to learn, and to share experiences all over the world in an effort that started a decade ago when the Sixty-third World Health Assembly passed a resolution on Birth Defects in 2010 [WHA63.17 Agenda item 11.7).
This time round, the 9th International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World was held in Sri Lanka from 23rd to 26th February 2020 with a theme ‘Accelerating efforts for Birth Defects prevention and care. The conference was deliberated by over 400 leading health care professionals, researchers and representatives from academic, research, government, international development and civil society organizations.
I am a Co–Principal investigator on a March of Dimes funded study project for preconception care. The study aims to explore the current context and feasibility of preconception care service integration in the Ugandan district health system.
Prevalence and etiology of birth defects – experiences from countries
Birth defects (BDs) affect approximately 8 million births annually and account for 11% of neonatal deaths globally. Over 90% of these babies are in low-and middle-income countries. Among those who survive, many experiences lifelong disability. The etiology is largely unknown as 66% causes are multifactorial and unknown. In South -East Asia, major efforts over the past decade have led to a 72% & 62% decline in U5MR & NMR.
Read more