Labor's $38M investment in National and Expanded Newborn Screening Program Will Save Tiny Lives
Better Access Australia has welcomed Labor's announcement that it will create a truly national newborn screening program if elected by expanding coverage to 80 dieases. It's a giant giant step forward in protecting and caring for all Australia's newborns and makes Australia a worldleader in newborn health once again.
Australia currently only screens nationally for 25 diseases. This compares to California that screens for 80 diseases, of which 76 have treatments.
Each year 2,500 children are lost to perinatal and congenital conditions in Australia. It is the biggest cause of death for girls under 14 and third for boys. Many of these deaths are preventable with early diagnosis and treatment. But right now, it is not happening
"821 babies will be born today. Better Access Australia Chair Felicity McNeill said.
"Five of those babies' families will go home thinking the heel prick test their baby received protected them, only to be told months or years later that their child is suffering from a degenerative and life-threatening condition that could have been treated at birth but wasn't because Australia screens for less than a third of the rare diseases we provide subsidised treatment for today.
"That's 5 babies today, 35 this week, 140 in April, 1700 babies born in 2022 that will not have been diagnosed and treated from birth as their families had rightfully expected in a health system that claims to be universal and world leading. In newborn care it is not because without diagnosis there is no treatment.
"In introducing a national and expanded newborn screening program for Australia Labor will triple the number of diseases we screen our babies for at birth, making Australia a world leader in newborn health once again."
Recent national polling showed that 84% of respondents agreed that Australia should screen newborn babies for more diseases and 85% agreeing it should be a national program.
"It's not just Better Access Australia that has called for action on newborn screening. The community has too, with over 16,000 people taking the time to sign a petition for this long overdue reform, Ms McNeill said
"They have heard Nate's story and Olympia's story. They have heard Renee's story and Joh and Adriana's stories. Stories of unnecessarily delayed diagnosis with tragic consequences. All which could have been prevented with national and expanded newborn screening.
The need for national and expanded newborn screening has been recognised by both sides of politics both in the Final Frontier Parliamentary report and in bi-artisan motions for reform on the Parliamentary floor.
"Better Access Australia thanks Labor for turning words into action with this announcement, Ms McNeill said
"And we assume the Coalition will support any move that ensures funded treatments get to babies that need it through national expanded and uniform newborn screening."
