Current Status of Newborn Screening for the early Diagnosis of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Bangladesh

Background: Newborn screening programs signify early and presymptomatic detection of treatable disorders which authorize commencement of prompt medication to alleviate notable fatality. Newborn screening (NBS) for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) has been a successful public health initiative in preventive medicine over the last few decades. Previous pilot (1999-2006) and phase 1 (2006-2011) NBS program in Bangladesh reported an increased incidence compared to global data which urged to initiate a second phase NBS program for the detection of CH. Materials & Methods: Neonates’ blood was collected from the umbilical cord or by heel prick and drawn on the Guthrie filter paper card. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was measured from this filter paper by Immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) or Dissociation Enhanced Lanthanide Fluorescence Immunoassay (DELFIA) method. Results: 123 out of 2,61,550 neonates have already been diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism from September 2018 to August 2020, which represents an incidence of 1:2126. Conclusion: Ongoing phase-2 project data is already showing some optimistic outcomes. Hence, a time-worthy sustainable policy should be implemented to mark this program as an effective one. Bangladesh J. Nuclear Med. 25(1): 15-21, 2022