National Current Affairs
Delhi Government Launched ANMOL Scheme
- 27 Mar 2026
- 2 min read
Why in News?
The Government of Delhi has launched a free large‑scale genetic testing programme for all newborns under the new ANMOL scheme (Advanced Newborn Monitoring for Optimal Lifecare) to help reduce infant mortality and improve early detection of genetic and metabolic disorders.
Key Points
- Programme: Under the ANMOL scheme, all newborns in both government and private hospitals in Delhi will be screened free of cost for 56 genetic and metabolic disorders, including congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria and cystic fibrosis.
- Kerala is the only state in India to have implemented a full-scale free newborn screening program for hearing, congenital heart defects, and metabolic disorders.
- Objective: The primary goal is to detect serious inherited conditions before symptoms appear, enabling early treatment and care that can prevent disability or death.
- Benefits: Offering them free of cost under ANMOL will reduce financial burden on families and promote equitable access to critical health services.
- Testing Procedure: The screening involves collecting a small blood sample (heel prick) from newborns and analysing it in specialised laboratories to detect inherited conditions, often before any physical signs of disease are visible.
- Significance: Early detection and timely intervention for genetic disorders can prevent irreversible disabilities, improve long‑term health, and contribute to lowering the infant mortality rate — a key public health challenge in India.
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): The number of deaths of infants below one year of age per 1,000 live births in a particular year.
| Read More: Genetic disorders |
