The government of Manitoba announced it will expand its screening program for newborns in the province.
The Manitoba Newborn Screening Program will now screen for severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), a group of rare genetic diseases that affect a child’s immune system.
Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen said the goal of the expansion of the program is to ensure children get the care they need as soon as possible.
SCID affects around one in 60,000 newborns worldwide. But the numbers in Manitoba are around one in 16,000. Half of all SCID cases in Manitoba occur in the northern Cree and Mennonite populations, often with additional mutations that are Manitoba-specific
The SCID genetic disease group can cause early and severe infections. SCID-positive kids are at a high risk of poor health outcomes if immunized using live vaccines like tuberculosis or measles/mumps/rubella. If these children aren’t treated with a bone marrow transplant, they’re not expected to live past two years of age.
The expanded screening program will provide more information to parents using a targeted gene-detection method developed in Manitoba. Early detection can alert families of a possible genetic issue and improve outcomes.
The screening program is set to start in early 2020. The program will cost around $440,000 in annual operating and staffing costs, along with a one-time startup cost of $55,000.
Minister Friesen said the costs are expected to offset by the savings from reduced costs for treatment.
In Manitoba, every newborn can be checked for uncommon or rare diseases through the Manitoba Newborn Screening Program. The universal hearing screening program was implemented in 2016, allowing early detection of congenital hearing loss in children the opportunity to develop strong cognitive, speech-processing and learning skills.
