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On Monday 14 February 2022, on the occasion of International Congenital Heart Defect Day, Luxembourg's Ministry of Health has announced the launch of a new screening programme for congenital heart disease in the Grand Duchy.
International Congenital Heart Defect Day is an opportunity to raise public awareness and help families of children suffering from this disease, which affects the lives of many infants around the world.
One million children are born with congenital heart disease each year worldwide. In Luxembourg, they represent 40 to 50 children out of 6,000 births per year.
Congenital heart disease is a disease of the heart characterised by a heart defect present at birth. This defect can appear in any child and any newborn should be closely monitored. Whether hereditary or not, congenital heart disease varies, while the prognosis depends on the speed of diagnosis.
As part of one of the objectives of Luxembourg's national plan for rare diseases for 2018 to 2022, the Ministry of Health recently implemented a new preventive action: screenings for congenital heart disease are now being carried out from birth in all maternity wards and at home by midwives.
This screening is carried out with the support of ALAEC (Association Luxembourgeoise d'Aide aux Enfants Cardiaques), a local non-profit organisation that assists children with heart disease in Luxembourg. According to the Health Ministry, monitoring throughout this year will allow the authorities to adjust and sustain this screening.
