Clipping of news on Brazilian Culture, Law and Citizenship
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Since last Wednesday, users of the Unified Health System (SUS) have access to treatment of medical genetics towards the prevention of diseases. 81/09 The Order established the National Policy for Integral Attention in Clinical Genetics. Announced in December last year, the proposal adds tests and genetic counseling to the network of public health. At first, the priorities of the Ministry of Health were divided into three groups of services: the congenital anomalies, mental retardation and the inborn errors of metabolism (lack of enzymes in the body).
Over the past 25 years, the genetic diseases jumped from fifth to second place in the main causes of infant mortality in Brazil. In the country, about 3% of live births have congenital anomalies and 15% are affected by mental disabilities. According to World Health Organization (WHO), about 5% of pregnancies around the world are affected by hereditary diseases.
The specialist in medical genetics Salmo Raskin, president of the Brazilian Society of Medical Genetics, says that the ordinance represents an advance in the Brazilian health system. "Among other things, will allow access to genetic information for most Brazilians," he says. As Raskin, prevention in this area allows the families know they can generate possibilities genetic diseases fatal to babies. "For example, who want to become pregnant need to take folic acid for two to three months before pregnancy. This decreases by 50% the possibility of having children with anencephaly, "teaches.
Raskin says that with the popularization of genetics, will increase the demand of patients. "Before, there was no access and therefore no demand. With the ordinance, people will find the service, "he says. However, Brazil needs to expand the training of specialists in clinical genetics. As Raskin, the number of doctors is not enough to 200, while 85% are concentrated in the South and Southeast. According to the Ministry of Health, the program aims to gradually expand the services throughout the country.
Multidisciplinary
With the ordinance, the order of the Ministry of Health is conducting the full care of patients. For this, the services must be offered by a multidisciplinary team, with doctors, geneticists, nurses, social workers and biologists. Coordinator of medium and high complexity of the Department of Services for the Ministry of Health, Joselito Pedrosa explains that, by involving families, the genetic interdisciplinary clinical need of assistance. "This enhances the results of care, provided by more appropriate treatment," he says.
Source: Gazeta do Povo
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This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.