Thiruvananthapuram: A worrying trend in Kerala’s public health landscape has been highlighted by the Assembly Estimates Committee, whose recent report points to a substantial increase in the number of newborn infants being identified with genetic deformities across the state.
​According to data compiled from the Newborn Screening Program (NBSP) between 2021 and 2023, the number of reported cases of newborns with genetic defects has climbed sharply. The figures show a significant jump from 2,635 cases in 2021 to 3,232 in 2022, culminating in a total of 4,779 cases in 2023.
​The capital district of Thiruvananthapuram has emerged as a major hotspot, leading the state in the number of recorded defects, followed by Kollam and Malappuram. Critically, the capital witnessed a staggering 226% surge in cases, rising from 379 in 2021 to 1,237 by 2023. Further data from the 2024 ‘Shalabham’ scheme, which operates across 13 government medical colleges, revealed that 61% of the total identified cases (1,745 out of 2,846) originated from Thiruvananthapuram.
​Underutilized Funds Raise Concerns
​The committee, chaired by former health minister K.K. Shailaja, also flagged a serious issue regarding the implementation of the screening program. Despite the alarming rise in detected defects, the amount of funds utilized for the scheme has reportedly decreased year-on-year. The report notes that underutilized funds rose from 41.52% in 2021 to a substantial 73.14% in 2023, prompting the committee to seek an official explanation.
​While the committee noted that a conclusive analysis awaits the total number of children screened in each district, the available data clearly signals a need for immediate attention and better resource allocation.
