Text: Hafiz Meah Ghouse Meah

Editing: Tan Ewe Hoe

Photos: Ahmad Zulman Mohd Zain

PENANG, 7 December 2015 - The theme of the 9^th Asia Pacific Regional Meeting for International Society for Neonatal Screening (APRM-ISNS) 2015, “New Insight in Neonatal Screening and The Way Forward” is both timely and appropriate, to bridge the knowledge gaps of the local participants with those from all over the world in the field of Neonatal Screening.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Professor Dato’ Dr. Muhamad Jantan made this remark in his officiating speech at the APRM-ISNS 2015 held at Parkroyal Penang Resort here today.

Muhamad said, this also reflects a strong desire and commitment amongst the participants who were mostly experts in the related field to review and pursue new challenges to elevate the quality of neonatal screening which we know can change lives.

“The pace of development of a complete range of Neonatal Screening might be a little slower in Malaysia when compared to other developed countries, however, over the last decade or so, we have seen some positive changes,” he said.

Muhamad added, these changes were achieved through the perseverance of both the clinicians and laboratorians who work together for a same goal and it has also been observed that the level of awareness in the benefits of these screenings has also increased marginally over the years.

Muhamad hoped that this meeting will act as a catalyst to hasten the development of Neonatal Screenings in Malaysia and also to other countries in this region.

Meanwhile the Director for Family Health Development, Ministry of Health Malaysia, To’ Puan Dr. Safurah Hj Jaafar said, Malaysia’s newborn screening milestone consists of newborn physical examination, G6PD screening, congenital hypothyroidism screening, newborn hearing screening among high risk infants and universal newborn hearing screening.

“The benefits of newborn screening are to obtain identification, early intervention, reduced morbidity and mortality, and also for family planning,” she told.

Other guests of honour at the officiating ceremony were the Organising Chairman APRM-ISNS 2015 Dr. Mohd Adi Firdaus Tan, President of International Society for Neonatal Screening Dr. Veronica Wiley, and Global Business Director of Newborn Screening APAC Region Diagnostic, Perkin Elmer, Finland, the representative for the Diamond Sponsor, Marika Kase.

Sponsors for this programme were Perkin Elmer, Biomarin, Integrated Software, Labsystems Diagnostics, Zentech, Agilent Technologies, Waters, MP, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, Penang Global Tourism, Chemoresearch and SCIEX.

Delegates from over 20 countries around the globe joined this programme which will be held from 7 to 9 December 2015.