PHILIPSBURG–Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo has requested information about the inclusion of the neonatal heel prick into the screening for newborns in the country from Public Health Minister Rafael Boasman. She has written a letter via Parliament to the minister on the subject on October 21.
Marlin-Romeo had raised the need for the heel prick to be added to the mandatory screening for all babies since August. She had also brought up the need for the screening in a session of Parliament dealing with adjustment of the Public Health Ordinance. However, she is yet to receive answers on her inquiry, because the meeting dating to August has been suspended and no new date has been set for its reconvening.
Neonatal Screening or Heel Prick Screening looks for developmental, endocrine, genetic, and metabolic disorders in newborn babies and for those babies with the conditions, allow physicians to start treatment before some of the harmful effects happen, prevent or slow down the harmful effects of the disease.
Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba recently introduced the heel prick to their regime for newborns. The MP commended the islands for taking such as step to safeguard the health of their newborns.
Source: The Daily Herald Leona wants info on baby heel prick
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