World Birth Defects Day, marked annually on 03 March, aims to raise awareness about prevention programs and improving the quality of services and care received by people with congenital anomalies, disorders or conditions.
This year, WHO is highlighting the urgent need for countries to raise awareness about birth defects, and strengthen health systems in response to the specific health, development, and psychosocial needs of this population. This is coupled with the need for actions to prevent, detect and manage these congenital anomalies.
Birth defects have a significant impact on the quality of life of an individual, and place considerable burden on the families, community, society and the health-care systems. While genetics plays a major role in their etiology, many birth defects are preventable through health system interventions (rubella vaccination, identification and management of sexually transmitted infections in pregnancy, etc.) and by addressing environmental factors such as exposure to pollutants, lifestyle choices and socioeconomic conditions that affect pregnant women and fetuses.
During the past two decades, the contribution of birth defects to the cause of death among under-5 children has increased from 3.9% to 11.5% in our region. Birth defects are now the third most common cause of death (11%) among under-5 children in our region - approximately 300 every day. Additionally, they cause severe morbidity, which usually is ignored or not highlighted.
Since 2014, WHO has supported all countries of the region to adopt integrated approaches for prevention, detection, management and care for birth defects. This is through collaborative actions across different national programmes for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; immunization; nutrition; noncommunicable diseases and other related programmes.
This has resulted in increased coverage of pre-conception folic acid supplementation, enhanced coverage of routine childhood rubella vaccination, introduction of various food fortification programmes, and establishment of a hospital-based online surveillance system (known as the SEAR Newborn Birth Defects database).
Across the Region, pregnant women receive counselling to avoid potentially harmful medications, X-rays, tobacco products, alcohol and drugs. Basic services for the management of birth defects are available in most countries. However, access to advanced treatments, rehabilitation and support for affected babies and families is limited; and access to screening is sub-optimal.
A strong focus on birth defects is supported by our Regional Roadmap for Results and Resilience, which calls for “reaffirming investment in women, girls, adolescents and vulnerable populations.”
Our Region has identified several priorities. First, countries need to prioritize birth defects high on their agenda, mobilize commitment and leadership at both policy and programme levels, with commensurate financial allocations.
Second, enhance the health system capacity for early detection and management, by introducing and scaling-up tests for newborn screening of birth defects and other conditions. The regional implementation document developed last year, for universal newborn screening of hearing impairment, eye abnormalities, and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia provides guidance on how to integrate simple tests within the existing health system.
Third, efforts should be directed towards recognizing the challenges and reducing the burden of parents, caregivers and families of children with birth defects. Countries must work together with partners, community-based networks, academic and research institutes, and organizations to enable access to services and support, including social protection.
Fourth, improving the coverage and quality of preventive interventions such as rubella immunization, food fortification and quality pre-conception and antenatal care, is imperative.
Finally, countries need to invest in establishing or strengthening their birth defect surveillance systems - with a particular focus on improving the availability, analysis and utilization of relevant data for programmatic decision-making.
On World Birth Defects Day 2025, let us remind ourselves that ‘every journey matters’.