Regional review of implementation of national plans for birth defects and training on improving quality of birth defects surveillance

WHO-SEARO and CDC have jointly supported SEAR Countries to develop and implement national plans for prevention and control of birth defects. WHO-SEARO has also built capacity in birth defects surveillance and supported networks of hospitals for collecting and online reporting of prospective data on birth defects at birth, among livebirths and stillbirths to define the burden and distribution of birth defects. Countries have undertaken prevention and care activities within and as part of the ongoing RMNCAH, nutrition and immunization programmes. 

WHO-SEARO organized a virtual meeting on 24 November 2020 to review the country progress and prepare plans of key activities during the next year (2021). 

Focal Persons for birth defects from the ministries of health and WHO country offices were invited to the meeting. A template was shared with them to prepare and present the progress in birth defects surveillance and in implementation of plan for prevention and control of birth defects.