28-05-2025
TN to set up centres of excellence for genetic disorder prevention in Coimbatore, Madurai
COIMBATORE: The state health department with the support of National Health Mission (NHM) is preparing to launch Centers of Excellence for the prevention and management of genetic disorders in Coimbatore and Madurai, following the footsteps of Chennai.
These centers aim to facilitate genetic research and laboratory tests for conditions such as inborn errors of metabolism and immune deficiencies. Construction of the buildings and procurement of high-value machinery are currently underway, said officials and added that 50% of the work has been completed.
Recognising that genetic disorders are a major cause of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR), the state government has allocated Rs 8.19 crore to establish two new Centres of Excellence in Coimbatore and Madurai, said officials.
"The center is already operational at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children (ICH) in Chennai. Efforts to launch similar centers at government medical college hospitals in Coimbatore and Madurai are in progress," said Expert Advisor for Child Health, National Health Mission, Tamil Nadu S Srinivasan.
The centers will specialise in a variety of genetic disorders, including hemoglobinopathies like thalassemia and sickle cell anemia, chromosomal disorders, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), other neuromuscular disorders, lysosomal storage diseases (LSD), mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), congenital adrenal hyperplasia, congenital hypothyroidism, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6PD) deficiency, and cystic fibrosis, as outlined in the government order.
"We have acquired expensive machinery such as Tandem Mass Spectrometry (TMS) and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) for genetic testing, among other equipments, at the ICH in Chennai. With this laboratory, we can screen patients with genetic disorders, diagnose their conditions, and explore potential solutions. For example, inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) are rare genetic conditions that impair the body's ability to convert food into energy due to enzyme defects. Using TMS, we can screen and diagnose IEMs," Dr Srinivasan added.
