MUSCAT: The National Genetic Centre (NGC)at the Royal Hospital has introduced a set of advanced diagnostic and analytic equipment to meet the needs of medical diagnosis of various blood diseases and to match an increase in inherited blood disorders in the Sultanate. The move is aimed at keeping pace with genetic mutations responsible for hereditary diseases.
In comments to Oman News Agency (ONA), Dr Musallam bin Said al Araimi, Clinical Geneticist and Head of Education and Genetic Counselling Services at the National Genetic Centre, said that the center has recently witnessed a qualitative expansion in the development of laboratory equipment and modern diagnostic devices in alignment with the Oman Vision 2040, and in line the steady increase in the rates of genetic diseases in the Sultanate.
The number of patients served by the NGC has surged dramatically from 1,732 in 2016 to 4,119 in 2020, the official said adding that the Sultanate is among countries with high rate of inherited blood disorders as the probability of a child being born with a birth defect or any genetic disease in the Sultanate ranges between 5.4 per cent and 7 per cent while the global rate does not exceed 4.4 per cent.
Al Araimi added that the Sultanate has recorded 140 cases of Down syndrome in 2014, and 150 cases in 2015, while metabolic disorders with hereditary endocrine diseases and genetic nutritional disorders account for about 20.7 per cent of all genetic diseases.
The statistics showed that 37 per cent of neonatal deaths and stillbirths are caused by severe genetic congenital disorders, while genetic congenital disorders make up 10 per cent of the registered causes of infant mortalities, and 52 per cent of the causes of death in older children in the Sultanate, he said.
He pointed out that genetic diseases are, by large, responsible for hearing, visual and mobility impairment and other disabilities, he noted that the latest statistics indicate that about 10 per cent of Omani families have a child with a genetic disease that leads to disability.
Al Araimi said that the NGC has 59 health professionals including doctors specialising in various branches of genetics, lab specialists, technicians, administrators and assistant medical cadres all of whom are Omanis. — ONA
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