9th International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities begins today

The 9th International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World will kick-off today at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo.

With the theme of ‘Health for All: Accelerate Efforts for Birth Defects Prevention and Care’, the ICBD2020 from February 23-26 is relevant to Sri Lanka as it would provide an opportunity to showcase the country’s achievements in reducing infant deaths.

It would also enable Sri Lanka to learn from the experience of other countries in the difficult task of reducing infant death further by reducing preterm births and birth defects – the two leading causes of infant deaths in Sri Lanka today.

The opening ceremony today will be attended by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi; Conference Chair Dr. Kapila Jayaratne; Conference Co-chairs Dr. Anula Wijesundere (Past President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association –

SLMA) and Dr. Salimah Walani of March of Dimes; and Scientific Chair Prof. Vajira Dissanayake.

About 350 attendees from 36 countries will participate in this conference which has a rich technical programme with seven plenaries and 15 symposia. The ICBD 2020 has received over 150 abstracts on different topics such as surveillance of birth defects, public health policies, healthcare systems to ensure prevention and on how to improve the care of persons with birth defects.

While the SLMA, the apex professional body of the medical doctors of Sri Lanka, is hosting the ICBD2020, it is co-organized with support from the Family Health Bureau and Health Promotion Bureau of the Ministry of Health; the World Health Organisation; March of Dimes, USA; the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, USA; the Human Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo.

Many professional associations including the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka, the Perinatal Society of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Heart Association, the Sri Lanka Association for Child Development, the Sri Lanka Association of Paediatric Surgeons; and community organisations dedicated to the care of children with birth defects and disabilities are part of the conference.

Birth defects, also known as congenital anomalies, are structural or functional anomalies, of organs, systems or parts of the body that occur during intrauterine life and are caused by genetic or environmental factors or both, evident before birth, at birth or later in life. Some of these conditions include congenital heart defects, spina bifida, cleft lip or palate, limb deficiency, hypospadias, clubfoot, Down syndrome, congenital rubella syndrome, hypothyroidism and thalassemia.

In Sri Lanka, around 360,000 pregnancies are registered in a year and 328,000 babies are born alive. Of them, 5,800 are born with a birth defect. Many birth defects are preventable and those living with birth defects can be supported to reach their optimal status of wellbeing.