Campaign launched to create awareness of genetic defects

Dr TK Shaanthy Gunasingh, former director of the Institute of Optics at Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children, Dr C Rama Subramanian, senior psychiatrist, State nodal officer for police wellbeing programmme and founder and member of MS Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation addressed the gathering on various issues on prevention of cleft lips and palate defects.

Dr Shaanthy said that though the issues caused due to the genetic factors can’t be prevented, folic acid deficiency and nutritional deficiencies also cause such defects.

Promotion of intake of folic acid before and after pregnancy will help to prevent these, she added.  Dr C Rama Subramanian spoke about emotional and psychological aspects of cleft children and their parents.

The medicos emphasised on the need of effective counselling to the children and the parents in such cases.  The campaign focuses on creating awareness among women to take sufficient amount of folic acid to prevent such defects in newborns.