Proposed law aims to prevent blindness in newborns

MANILA, Philippines - Lawmakers in the 15th Congress are pushing for a bill seeking to prevent early blindness among newborns through mandatory offering of treatment upon birth.

House Bill 4075, which promotes the administration of ocular prophylaxis among babies, was approved on final reading by the House of Representatives in February 2011 and transmitted to the Senate the same year.

The proposed law mandates a healthcare practitioner involved in the birth of a child, to administer in each eye of the newborn, as soon as possible, 1 percent tetracycline ophthalmic ointment or 0.5 percent erythromycin ophthalmic ointment or 1 percent silver nitrate aqueous solution, all in a single application, or some other equally effective prophylactic for the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum, as approved by the Department of Health.

The proposed measure cited a study by the World Health Organization which estimated that 1.5 million children worldwide are blind with two-thirds, or 1 million of which are in Asia. Blindness among newborns is commonly caused by measles, xerophthalmia, and use of traditional eye medicine.

"The main culprits are poor nutrition, like Vitamin A deficiency as the primary reason, measles, premature birth and another growing concern is ophthalmic infection in the neonatal period, most of which are acquired during vaginal delivery," Surigao del Sur Rep. Philip Pichay, the author of the bill, said.

Pichay added that the bill, once passed, will mandate health practitioners to inform parents or legal guardians the benefits of ocular prophylaxis.

The bill's co-authors, Reps. Bernadette Herrera-Dy of Bagong Henerasyon party list and Alfredo Marañon III of Negros Occidental, chairperson of the House Committee on Health, said parents may refuse the application of ocular prophylaxis in writing which will be made part of the newborn's medical record.

Under the measure, the local health officer shall investigate each case of ophthalmia neonatorum and reported it to the Department of Health.

The DOH, on the other hand, shall enforce the provisions of this proposed law, provide printing, publication and distribution to all health institutions and healthcare practitioners, and give advice and information on the proper use of scientific prophylactic for ophthalmia neonatorum.