by DOH-CHD Metro Manila and Norrice F. Victorio
NCR Champions Maternal and Newborn Health During NBS Week 2025
The Department of Health–Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH-MMCHD) led a region-wide push to promote maternal and newborn health during the Newborn Screening Week 2025 with local governments across the NCR. Valenzuela, Caloocan, Pasig, Pateros, Malabon, Muntinlupa, and Taguig cities held mothers’ classes, pre-clinic lectures, barangay drives, and public symposia to emphasize the lifesaving value of timely newborn screening. Health workers demonstrated procedures, answered questions, and distributed educational materials, while local officials and sponsors expanded the campaign’s reach.
A highlight was the Maternal and Newborn Care Forum which brought together health leaders and partners to review maternal and newborn care progress. Regional data on maternal and child mortality, updates on expanded newborn screening, and the birth defects registry pilot were presented. Parents shared moving stories of children saved through early screening, reinforcing the region’s commitment to ensuring every newborn receives essential care.
The Newborn Screening Week is celebrated every 1st week of October as per Presidential Proclamation 540.
Strategy Building and Awareness on Hemoglobinopathies
The Newborn Screening Center–National Institutes of Health (NSC-NIH) and the Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD) held a productive Round Table Discussion on September 8, 2025 to strengthen the direction of the NBS Program in the region. Led by Dr. Anna Lea G. Elizaga and Dr. Alexandra Faye Cayabyab, the NSC-NIH team met with MMCHD officials to revisit the program’s strategic roadmap, refine measurable targets, and conduct a collaborative self-assessment and SWOC analysis to guide priorities for 2026 and beyond. The meeting concluded with a courtesy visit to Regional Director Dr. Lester M. Tan, reaffirming MMCHD’s strong institutional support and shared commitment to achieving the program’s coverage and quality goals toward 2030.
Continuing Awareness Efforts on Hemoglobinopathies
The success of the Expanded Newborn Screening (ENBS) has heightened public awareness of hemoglobinopathies, prompting the NSC-NIH to host an educational webinar titled “Understanding Hemoglobinopathies: A Webinar for Parents and Guardians” on October 28, 2025. In her presentation, Dr. Joliza Patricia Caneba of the Institute of Human Genetics simplified the complex genetic and hematological concepts, enabling participants to better understand the implications of hemoglobin disorders and the importance of genetic testing and counseling.
Before the event, organizers gathered preliminary questions to ensure that the lecture directly addressed the participants’ concerns. Seventy attendees from various regions learned about different hemoglobin disorders, recognizing their symptoms, and the value of proactive care. With Dr. Alexandra Faye Cayabyab and Ms. Wenalyn Viana as moderator and host, respectively, the webinar concluded with an open forum and emphasized that effective management—supported by informed families, caregivers, and health workers—is essential to improving the quality of life of individuals with hemoglobinopathies.
