The number of children with congenital malformations has almost doubled over the past five years in Kyrgyzstan. The director of the National Center of Maternity and Childhood Welfare, Professor Kamchybek Uzakbaev informed 24.kg news agency.
According to him, the number of such newborns is growing every year.
At the same time, Kyrgyzstan has money for neonatal screening for early detection of such defects in newborns. Launch of the program required 40 million soms.
«Thanks to such screening, we could detect congenital hypothyroidism (thyroid disease). 50–100 such children are detected annually in the country. We live in endemic area with low iodine content. Yes, iodized salt is sold, but it is used not everywhere," the Professor said.
If hypothyroidism is diagnosed at birth and treatment started in the first month of life, the child will grow as a normal person. It is too late to start treatment after 12 months, the child will be disabled for life. He will have movement disorders, mental retardation. And the state will pay allowances to this child.
Kamchybek Uzakbaev
