City hospitals form inborn deformity prevention alliance
Two leading Shanghai hospitals have teamed up to tackle genetic diseases to enhance the prevention and control of inborn deformities related to deafness, blindness and deformed ear and face.
Shanghai Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital signed an agreement with the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University over the weekend to join the hospital's inborn deformity prevention alliance.
The two parties will carry out genetic consultation, staff training, case transfer, remote consultation, clinical study and database construction to enhance genetic deformity prevention and control.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 5 percent of the global population, or 432 million adults and 34 million children, have hearing disorders, and the figure is rising each year. There are 30,000 children born with deafness in China annually and 60 percent is the result of genetic causes.
WHO has stated 60 percent of hearing loss in children under 15 years old can be prevented through proper medical screening and intervention, said officials from the EENT hospital.
Under the agreement, medical experts in the two hospitals will offer consultation and checks on causes and treatment, and professional support through pre-implantation genetic screening and diagnosis technology to block genetically inherited diseases and ensure the delivery of healthy babies.
Newborn babies detected with deafness, blindness and deformed face or ear upon delivery at the maternity hospital will have a green channel to be sent to the EENT hospital for early screening, diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Huang Hefeng (left) from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University and Dr Zhou Xingtao, president of Shanghai Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital signed cooperation agreement over the weekend.
