Govt to expand newborn screening programme

The Delhi Government has approved an expanded newborn screening programme under Mission ANMOL, increasing annual coverage from around 1.5 lakh to 2.5 lakh infants to ensure early detection of congenital disorders, officials said on Tuesday.

The decision, cleared by the Rekha Gupta government, aims to move towards near-universal screening at government health facilities and outreach centres, according to an official statement.

Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the scale-up would enable early identification and management of metabolic, endocrine, functional and visible congenital conditions, improving long-term health outcomes.

The programme will cover key conditions such as congenital hypothyroidism, congenital heart defects, hearing impairment and retinopathy of prematurity, with a focus on timely intervention and follow-up care.

Officials said Mission Advanced Newborn Monitoring for Optimal Lifecare (ANMOL) adopts a technology-driven and integrated approach aligned with national guidelines to make comprehensive newborn screening a standard practice across Delhi’s public health system.