New screening saves lives of 13 babies in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: A critical shortage in the number of paediatric cardiologists in the emirate of Abu Dhabi puts the lives of hundreds of babies at risk, especially if a mandatory test to detect serious congenital heart abnormalities is not administered, health experts have said.

The test, which screens for critical congenital heart disease, affecting three of every thousand babies worldwide, is important because babies in the GCC region could present certain abnormalities that can kill them within the first two months of life without the necessary treatment, said Dr Mohammad Hamdan, division head and consultant of paediatric cardiology at the Tawam Hospital in Al Ain.

“In the emirate of Abu Dhabi, there are probably less than 10 paediatric cardiologists, which is why administering the test, known as the pulse oximetry, is even more crucial,” Dr Hamdan told Gulf News.

According to the 2010 Health Authority Abu Dhabi Annual report, critical capacity gaps exist in both neonatology and cardiology specialists.

The pulse oximetry has therefore been implemented by hospitals in the emirate since January 2011, and by June 2012, 13 babies born with CCHD had been saved, the HAAD announced.

The test is a simple process of measuring the level of oxygen in the hands and foot of a newborn to determine whether a baby has a possible congenital heart condition.

The Tawam Hospital was the first to administer it in January 2011, after which all other medical facilities in the emirate with obstetric sections screened babies born in their wards. By June 2012, more than 32,000 babies had been screened in 21 hospitals.

While doctors stressed the need for more paediatric cardiologists, they added that the pulse oximetry significantly reduces the chance of an affected baby being undiagnosed.

“Heart disease is invisible to the naked human eye, and only 25 per cent of such congenital conditions can be detected during pregnancy. A physical exam of the newborn within 24 hours of birth helps detect another 50 per cent of cases.

“However, the pulse oximetry helps to pinpoint nearly 23 per cent of all remaining babies born with CCHD,” Dr Gerard Martin, co-director of the children’s heart institute at the Children’s National Medical Centre in Washington.

The Centre has so far trained hundreds of medical professionals in the emirate to administer the screenings.

More such training sessions will be conducted for medical personnel this year, Dr Omniyat Al Hajeri, director of public health and policy at the HAAD, told Gulf News.

“The CCHD screening has been part of the Neonatal Screening Standards in the emirate since September 2011, and we are working to ensure that all relevant medical staff are familiar with how to administer it,” Dr Al Hajeri said.

Source: Gulf News