GMA Kapuso Foundation brings free newborn screening services to Rizal, Laguna

As the country observes National Newborn Screening Week, the GMA Kapuso Foundation and the Department of Health (DOH) CALABARZON are working to raise awareness about the importance of newborn screening and make the service more accessible to families.

According to 24 Oras” on Wednesday, among the families who benefited from the initiative was Marites Balbon of San Mateo, Rizal, who gave birth amid the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and flooding in August.

Despite the difficult conditions, Marites chose to stay at an evacuation center with her family to keep herself and her baby safe while she was pregnant.

“It was difficult because there was nowhere to sleep... Going to the bathroom was also difficult because there was always a line, especially since I was pregnant,” she said in Filipino.

With the birth of her baby came the beginning of their gradual recovery, although the family continues to face financial challenges.

For Marites, having access to free newborn screening was a big help, as she did not have to shoulder the cost of the test.

The free screening was among the services provided during the GMA Kapuso Foundation and DOH health caravan in Rizal and Laguna as part of National Newborn Screening Week.

A total of 150 babies underwent newborn screening to check for possible congenital disorders and other health complications.

According to Jose Antonio Yap, Newborn Screening Program Coordinator of the DOH Center for Health Development IV-A, babies who are confirmed to have a disorder are referred to a newborn screening continuity clinic.

"They are able to see a specialist who monitors the child’s condition until we see that the babies are normal," he added in Filipino.

Aside from newborn screening, the initiative also provided families with hygiene kits, food, and essential newborn supplies.

For those who wish to support GMA Kapuso Foundation projects, donations may be made via Metrobank, Land Bank, BDO, Bank of Commerce, UnionBank, PNB, Cebuana Lhuillier, GCash, Lazada, Shopee, and Palawan Pay. Visit the GMA Kapuso Foundation website for more information.

—Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA News