New Delhi, March 24 Following the launch of the ANMOL scheme to provide screening tests for genetic and metabolic disorders in newborns, medical experts say the scheme will facilitate early detection and help critical cases reach hospitals within the “golden hour”.
Under the ANMOL (Advanced Newborn Monitoring for Optimal Lifecare) scheme, 56 types of tests will be conducted using a single drop of blood from newborns, completely free of cost in both public and private hospitals.
“The number of diagnosed cases is continuously increasing. This does not necessarily indicate a rise in incidence, but rather better detection through early screening,” said Dr Sanjeev Gupta, Group Medical Director, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute and Action Cancer Hospital, Delhi.
Highlighting its impact on rare conditions, Dr Sanjay K Jain, HOD, Paediatrics and Neonatology and Medical Director, Maccure Hospital Pvt Ltd, said, "We expect a significant surge in identified cases of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEMs) and other rare conditions, which were previously lost in the statistics of ‘unexplained infant mortality’."
Medical experts also said the move will increase footfall in hospitals. "With widespread newborn screening, the number of diagnosed cases will increase, and this is a positive development as early detection allows timely intervention and significantly improves outcomes," said Dr Seema Thakur, Senior Consultant – Genetic and Fetal Medicine, Rainbow Hospital, Delhi.
They added that awareness regarding genetic disorders remains limited in newborns, particularly beyond urban centres. "Upper middle- and high-income groups usually opt for genetic screening due to affordability and access," said Dr Gupta.
"Historically, such comprehensive 50+ test panels were only accessible to the upper-middle and elite classes. The scheme will democratise access by bringing these diagnostics to wider sections," Dr Jain added.
Delhi Chief Minister, while presenting the Budget, said the scheme aims to ensure that such tests are not seen as a burden. "Children are dear to all, they are ‘anmol’. To prevent genetic disorders, which are extremely expensive to treat, we are launching this scheme," the Chief Minister said.
Experts noted that diagnostic tests can cost up to Rs 25,000 in private setups, while treatment expenses can run into lakhs annually, especially for rare disorders.
"Advanced tests can cost between Rs 15,000 and Rs 1 lakh, with treatment ranging from Rs 50,000 to over Rs 10 lakh per year," Dr Jain said.
Speaking about prevalence, experts said that genetic disorders are estimated to affect around 2–3 per cent of newborns, with higher proportions often seen in tertiary care settings due to referral bias.
To make healthcare services more responsive and efficient, the government will introduce a Real-Time Ventilator Bed Vacancy Monitoring System across both private and government hospitals.
"People can easily know which hospitals have available ventilators and ICU beds," Dr Gupta said, adding that patients will be able to directly go to such hospitals for quicker treatment.
Experts added that the system will help families rely on data instead of panic-driven decisions. They said many families currently make multiple calls or visit hospitals physically to check ICU availability, which increases risk and delays care, whereas this system will enable data-based decisions.