Health includes two new neonatal screenings and communities will be vaccinated against rotavirus

The Public Health Commission agreed this Thursday to expand the benefits of the portfolio of services. In particular, this body of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, in which the Autonomous Communities and the Ministry of Health are present, decided to include two new neonatal screenings for the detection and treatment of early congenital heart defects and tyrosinemia, a rare disease and hereditary disease affecting tissues and organs, mainly the liver , kidneys and nervous system.

In addition, the Commission agreed to introduce immunization against rotavirus, which attacks the digestive system and causes acute infection, fever, diarrhea and vomiting, mainly in children, although it also affects adults.

The Autonomous Communities will be responsible for implementing this program until the end of 2025. Some, such as Galicia and Castile and Leon, have already extended this benefit to all babies in 2023.

Until now, the ministry has recommended vaccination for infants born between 25-27 and 32 weeks of gestation who are clinically stable and without any controversy. Thanks to the new indication, this immunization will be available to all children.

The Public Health Commission also agreed to change cervical cancer screening conditions to distinguish between vaccinated and unvaccinated women aged 25 to 29 years. The Ministry of Health changed its screening program, which showed a “decline in mortality” in 2019, with cytology tests every three years for women aged 25 to 34 and five-year human papillomavirus tests starting at age 35, which will now progress up to 30 years old.