Newborn Screening Center - Central Luzon

ATTENTION: Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 3 and CAR.
Please take note of the schedule of operations of NSC-CL for the August 2024 Holidays.

Reminder: Send your samples right away after drying for a minimum of 4 hours so we can receive and test them immediately once received in the laboratory.

REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO 1,000 ONLY! Take advantage of the chance to register at a discounted price and reserve your slot at the 22nd National Newborn Screening Convention.

Themed “S.T.R.O.N.G. NBS: Strengthening The Resources Outcomes for the Next Generation,” the convention aims to convene participants from different health professions to learn from local and international experts, program consultants, and program implementers.

Registration Dates:
Early Bird Registration Deadline: September 15, 2024
General Registration Deadline: After September 15, 2024, until all slots are filled.

Registration fees:
Early Bird: PHP 4,000.00
Regular: PHP 4,500.00

Secure your registration by making a bank deposit or transfer to the following account:
Account Name - Newborn Screening Society of the Phil., Inc.
Account No.: Banco de Oro 002410114497

The registration process started last week, and many health professionals have already registered. To register, simply scan the QR code above or click the link below:
https://bit.ly/NBSConvention2024Reg

The National Newborn Screening Convention is taking place this year from October 7 to 8, 2024, at the Manila Hotel. Registration is now open! Read the FAQ's below or visit https://bit.ly/NBSConvention2024FAQ for more information.
Registration is limited. Register now!
For further details and requests, please contact our convention secretariat at [email protected].

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE 22nd NEWBORN SCREENING CONVENTION!

The NBS Convention is an annual event that keeps health professionals updated of the recent developments on the newborn screening program. The lectures will provide additional information on the expanded newborn screening and relevant topics in the improvement of program implementation. This year’s convention aims to highlight the collaborations in the newborn screening program and how it enhances the services being given to our patients.

This year, the NBS Convention will be held at the Manila Hotel on October 7 and 8, 2024

Should you have any questions about the previous year's convention (certificate, CPD units, etc.), kindly send an email to [email protected] in a separate message with a new subject line. Thank you!

To ensure that quality newborn screening services are being provided to the regions under their jurisdiction, the Newborn Screening Centers undergo regular audits. On September 25-26, 2023, the Newborn Screening Center – Central Luzon was audited and was reaccredited by international auditors. One of the recommendations during the audit was to avoid punching the dried blood spot near its center and near the edges since the concentrations of the metabolites in these areas may be too high, thus the greater risk of yielding inconsistent results. This led the NSC-CL laboratory to be more stringent in accepting satisfactory NBS samples, which resulted in an increased number of insufficient samples from different newborn screening facilities.
The timely collection of sufficient and quality newborn screening samples is vital to the success of the program. An insufficient sample is one with dried blood spots that are not substantial in amount to test all disorders included in the ENBS panel. (Note: 8-12 3mm punches are required to perform all the needed NBS tests.)
Insufficient samples delay testing as patients with these samples need to be recalled for repeat collection. This puts the health of the patients who might be affected with the conditions included in the Expanded Newborn Screening panel at risk for mental retardation and early death.
We urge our NSFs to take necessary measures to ensure that sufficient and quality samples are collected and sent to the NSC-CL. For more information, kindly read Memorandum 2023-003 Reminder on the Proper Collection of NBS Samples.

⚠️𝗕𝗘𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗘⚠️
We are still receiving multiple reports of incidents of fraudulent collection via Gcash by scammers pretending to be staff of the Newborn Screening Center.
Please be reminded of the following:
1. NSC-Central Luzon 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗧 request for payment via Gcash. Payments for NBS kits should be made through our official payment channels.
2. NSC-Central Luzon 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗧 call you regarding your accounts in the midst of the night. The NSC-CL accounting staff work from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday.
3. NSC-Central Luzon 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗧 ask for down payment for purchase orders of "discounted" kits. (𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘕𝘉𝘚 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.)
4. NSC-Central Luzon 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗧 ask for payment for NBS Renewal Stickers. NBS Renewal Stickers are 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘.
5. Current NBS filter cards 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗧 not be phased out. Scammers claim that NSFs should purchase NBS kits because the current NBS filter cards will be phased out and will be replaced by pricier NBS kits in a few months.
Please do not fall victim to this kind of act. If you encounter such activity, please report immediately to the NSC-Central Luzon at mobile numbers (0917) 8208118 / (0908) 8202155 / (0908) 8200867

We would like to remind the Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 3 and CAR to use small pouch (N Pouch Regular), when sending NBS samples through LBC.

NBS samples are considered "documents", thus, the use of N POUCH REGULAR is allowed.

Please note that sending NBS samples to the NSC-Central Luzon is FREE. NSFs may also send their NBS samples through our other courier partners:
STATDelivery
ABest
JRS
2Go
Air21
DHL

When filling out information on the NBS filter card, write legibly in print and use BLACK or BLUE ballpoint pen only. Avoid using pencil, Frixion pen, and colored pens as the letters and numbers may be difficult to read and may be erased. Do not use sign pens/gel pens as this may smudge.

Use BLOCK LETTERS and leave a space (_) between each word and avoid erasures as much as possible.

Check the completeness and correctness of all required fields before sample collection.

What is the difference between screening and confirmatory tests?

ATTENTION: Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 3 and CAR.

Please take note of the schedule of operations of NSC-CL for the June 2024 Holidays.

Reminder: Send your samples right away after drying for a minimum of 4 hours so we can receive and test them immediately once received in the laboratory.

What is Newborn Screening?

NEWBORN SCREENING is a national public health program for the early identification of disorders. It is a simple procedure to find out if your baby has a congenital disorder that may lead to mental retardation or even death. Shortly after 24 hours from birth, a few drops of blood are taken from the baby’s heel, blotted on a special absorbent filter card, and sent to Newborn Screening Centers (NSC) for testing.

Learn more about the NBS program at newbornscreening.ph

BEWARE OF SCAMMERS!

Please do not be deceived and fall victim to this kind of act.

Ensure that the drying and storage area of NBS samples, before sending to the Newborn Screening Center, is clean and safe from vectors that may cause contamination of the dried blood spots.

Contaminated samples require urgent repeat collection which may delay testing and can cause irreversible effects to newborns with heritable disorders.

ATTENTION: Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 3 and CAR.
Please take note of the schedule of operations of NSC-CL for the Labor Day.

Reminder: Send your samples right away after drying for a minimum of 4 hours so we can receive and test them immediately once laboratory operation resumes.

ATTENTION: Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 3 and CAR.
Please take note of the schedule of operations of NSC-CL for the Newborn Screening Center Summit.

Reminder: Send your samples right away after drying for a minimum of 4 hours so we can receive and test them immediately once laboratory operation resumes.

Layering is the leading reason for contamination among the filter cards sent by the newborn screening facilities in the jurisdiction of Newborn Screening Center - Central Luzon.
Learn more about contaminated samples due to layering and how to avoid collecting such samples through this post.

ATTENTION: Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 3 and CAR.

Please take note of the schedule of operations of NSC-CL for the April 2024 holidays.
Reminder: Send your samples right away after drying for a minimum of 4 hours even during holidays so we can receive and test them immediately.

We would like to remind the Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 3 and CAR to use small pouch (N Pouch Regular), when sending NBS samples through LBC.
NBS samples are considered "documents", thus, the use of N POUCH REGULAR is allowed.

Please note that sending NBS samples to the NSC-Central Luzon is FREE. NSFs may also send their NBS samples through our other courier partners:
STATDelivery
ABest
JRS
2Go
Air21
DHL

This is to inform our NSFs and all our program partners and stakeholders that on the morning of Sunday, March 24, 2024, a fire occured in the Newborn Screening Center Central Luzon office. The fire was immediately put out by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

In this connection, NSC-CL operations have been temporarily suspended until formal clearance is given by the BFP for the NSC-CL to resume its normal operations. Contingency measures are currently being reviewed for implementation.

You may still send your purchase orders forms, proof of kits payment, verification letters and all other concerns through our official email address, [email protected], and we will attend to them as soon as possible.

We advise our NSFs to still send their newborn screening samples immediately after drying to ensure prompt testing.

You may also reach us through our official mobile lines:
For Admin and Accounting
0917 820 8118
0908 820 2155
0908 820 0867

For Follow-up queries and patient concerns
0917 594 7859
0908 820 3529
0908 819 9354
0998 956 1356

For Unsatisfactory Samples
0908 816 2594

We ask for your understanding at this time as we do our best on restoring our normal operations as soon as possible.

Send a message to learn more

REMINDER:
Unlike the Hospital/ Place of Collection, the Hospital/ Place of Birth is not stamped by NSC-CL with the code and name of the health facility upon purchase of the filter cards.

It is important to indicate the facility of birth of the baby as this will determine if the baby is IN-BORN SCREENED (born and screened in the same facility) or OUT-BORN SCREENED (place of birth is different from the collecting facility).

If the baby was born at home, write HOME BIRTH.

Samples whose hospital/place of birth are not filled out will automatically be coded as UNKNOWN and will be categorized as out-born screens.

The DOH-Central Luzon Center for Health Development is hiring a Health Program Officer II (Follow-up Nurse).

For those interested, you may scan the QR code for full details.

ATTENTION: Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 3 and CAR.
Please take note of the schedule of operations of NSC-CL for the Holy Week of 2024.

Reminder: Send your samples right away after drying for a minimum of 4 hours even during holidays so we can receive and test them immediately.

Thank you, Maheseco Multipurpose Cooperative, for your support to the National Rare Disease Week!

RARE is MANY, RARE is STRONG, RARE is PROUD

Rare Disease Day
National Rare Disease Week Philippines

The Newborn Screening Center - Central Luzon joins the celebration of the National Rare Disease Week by raising their hands, with their arm bands and fan signs in support of those with rare disorders.


Rare Disease Day
National Rare Disease Week Philippines
Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders Incorporated
Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health - Philippines