Health workers in Ibanda District have received targeted training to improve early screening and diagnosis of congenital malformations in newborns, a step aimed at reducing preventable complications, surgical delays, and infant deaths linked to birth defects.
The hands-on training was conducted at Uganda Martyrs Hospital Ibanda with support from Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in partnership with Bethany Kids Uganda.
It brought together nurses and midwives from several health centres across the district, focusing on strengthening their ability to identify congenital abnormalities soon after birth and initiate timely referrals.
Speaking during the training on Monday, pediatric surgeon at Mbarara Hospital, Dr Eden Belay, said the regional hospital continues to receive complicated cases that could have been managed earlier if detected at lower health facilities.
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"We are usually overwhelmed by cases of congenital abnormalities referred to us at very late stages. This makes treatment more complex. Strengthening early diagnosis at lower health facilities will greatly improve early management and outcomes for these children," Dr Belay said.
She cited hypospadias, a male genital abnormality, and anorectal malformations, where a baby is born with an abnormal or absent anal opening, among the common conditions requiring early detection.
"These conditions can be effectively treated if identified early, but they become more difficult to manage when diagnosis is delayed," she added.
The Medical Director of Uganda Martyrs Hospital Ibanda, Dr Gothaldo Tumubugane, stressed that community awareness is just as important as training health workers, noting that delayed care often extends beyond infancy.
"We have received cases where even adults present with congenital abnormalities that could have been corrected in childhood. With this training, health workers will be able to pass on the information to communities so that parents seek care early," Dr Tumubugane said.
According to the World Health Organization, congenital anomalies, commonly known as birth defects, are structural or functional abnormalities that occur during pregnancy and may be detected before birth, at delivery, or later in infancy.
Globally, more than 8 million children, about 6 percent of total births, are born with serious birth defects each year, while an estimated 295,000 newborns die due to congenital anomalies.
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In Uganda, congenital anomalies account for about 40 percent of paediatric surgical conditions, making them the leading cause, followed by surgical infections at 15 percent and tumours at 8.6 percent.
Health experts say strengthening early screening at primary healthcare level, alongside community sensitisation, remains critical in reducing the burden of congenital abnormalities.
Among the commonly reported conditions are hypospadias, Hirschsprung's disease, anorectal malformations, intestinal atresias, omphalocele, and gastroschisis.
Some of these conditions carry extremely high mortality rates. Gastroschisis, for instance, has an estimated mortality rate of about 90 percent in Uganda, significantly higher than in better-resourced health systems.
Experts attribute these outcomes to late diagnosis, delayed referrals, and limited access to timely surgical care. However, they emphasize that many of these deaths are preventable with early detection, prompt referral, and improved surgical management capacity.
Addressing these gaps through stronger newborn screening, improved referral systems, and sustained community awareness is seen as key to reducing preventable deaths linked to congenital anomalies.
