Genetic birth defects see massive decline

MUSCAT, DEC 11 - The number of patients with congenital malformations admitted to various hospitals under Oman’s Ministry of Health has witnessed a massive drop in 2017.
Data reveals that the number of persons with congenital disabilities who sought treatment decreased by 413 cases last year, from 4,087 in 2016.
However, deaths as a result of birth defects decreased only by four in the same year from 185 in 2016.
North Al Batinah Governorate had the highest number of deaths due to birth defects in 2016 and 2017, accounting for 20.6 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively.
Royal Hospital registered the highest number of patients with congenital malformations.
“There were 38.6 per cent and 37.8 per cent cases with such disabilities in 2016 and 2017, respectively,” a report by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) reveals.
Congenital malformation is a physical defect present in a baby at birth that can involve different parts of the body, including the brain, heart, lungs, liver, bones and intestinal tract.
Meanwhile, the number of Omanis registered with the Sultanate’s card system for disabled persons in 2017 reached 34,365, with 65 per cent of them being males and 35 per cent being females. “Motor impairment is the major cause of a large number of disability cases in the Sultanate,” points out the NCSI report.
Motor impairment is the partial or total loss of function of a body part, usually a limb or limbs. This may result in muscle weakness, poor stamina, lack of muscle control, or total paralysis.
The disability is often evident in neurological conditions such a cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and multiple sclerosis.
According to the NCSI report, a quarter, or 8,652, people have motor impairment, followed by 6,233 people with mental disabilities and 4,592 people with hearing disabilities.
There are 4,475 people with multiple disabilities and 2,577 people with visual impairment.
“In terms of age groups, the largest proportion of persons with disabilities was concentrated in the age group of 30 years and above,” reveals the report.
The number of the people with disabilities in this age group reached 20,071, with 5,656 having motor disability.
North Al Batinah Governorate has the highest number of people with disabilities, reaching 20.5 per cent of the total number of persons with disabilities in the Sultanate. It is followed by Muscat and Al Dakhiliyah governorates.
However, the ratio of such people is lowest in Al Wusta Governorate.
While the number of people with disabilities caused by Down syndrome reached 1,253 in 2017, there were 1,121 autism cases, 498 persons with lack of growth, 425 with epilepsy, five with albinism and 4,534 suffering from other disabilities.