Since the start of 2025, the Neonatology Department at the provincial Children’s Hospital has admitted about 1,300 paediatric inpatients, with premature infants accounting for roughly 40%. Given this high-risk profile, neonatal disease screening has been routinely implemented for all children treated at the department.
Screening focuses on conditions with long-term impacts, including cardiovascular diseases, hearing impairment and retinopathy of prematurity. According to Dr Nguyễn Thụy Điển, deputy head of the department, all premature infants have been screened before discharge over the past year. Examinations include eye screening for retinopathy, hearing tests and cardiovascular assessments.
For retinopathy of prematurity, routine screening is conducted for all premature, low-birth-weight or high-risk infants between four and six weeks after birth to allow timely intervention.
Cardiovascular screening has also been improved following the installation of a portable echocardiography machine in the department, enabling on-site examinations with support from imaging specialists and trained neonatologists.
“This approach not only benefits newborns, especially preterm infants, but also improves the effectiveness of early disease detection,” Dr Điển said.
Parents have welcomed the initiative. Vũ Hồng Sơn, whose premature baby has been hospitalised for nearly two months, said his child had been screened for common conditions in preterm infants, providing reassurance that the baby was being closely monitored.
Neonatal screening is also being rolled out at grassroots healthcare facilities. Nguyễn Thị Thúy, deputy head of the Population Department at Đak Đoa District Medical Center, said newborns are screened immediately after birth to ensure early detection and timely intervention for congenital diseases. Since the beginning of 2025, the screening rate in the area has reached 9.98%, with blood samples taken from the heel within 24–72 hours after birth.
Public awareness campaigns are being intensified to help families understand the importance of newborn screening as an early investment in children’s health. At Vĩnh Thạnh Medical Center, 350 newborns have been screened since 2019. The centre has worked closely with village health workers to reach ethnic minority communities and encourage participation.
Across the province, prenatal and neonatal screening is considered essential for early detection and treatment of congenital disorders, metabolic conditions and genetic diseases. Pregnant women are screened for at least four common congenital conditions, including chromosomal disorders such as Down, Edwards, Patau and Thalassemia. Prenatal screening rates stand at 36% in the eastern region and 30% in the western region.
For newborns, screening covers at least five common conditions, including G6PD deficiency, congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, amino acid metabolism disorders and galactose metabolism disorders. Screening rates are about 20% in the eastern region and 30% in the western region.