In a major public health advancement aimed at improving infant healthcare and reducing early child mortality, central health authorities officially launched an expanded newborn screening scheme across government healthcare facilities in Delhi. Introduced during an executive healthcare assembly under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, the initiative expands routine post-natal diagnostic testing to screen infants for 63 distinct genetic, endocrine, and metabolic disorders shortly after birth. Public health administrators highlighted that automating early diagnostic protocols across maternity wards and primary health centers ensures early identification of manageable metabolic conditions, enabling timely medical intervention before severe developmental complications arise. State health officials also emphasized that combining comprehensive newborn screening with heightened public awareness regarding pediatric care establishes a resilient foundation for long-term child health. Medical researchers, pediatricians, and public health advocates lauded the diagnostic rollout, noting that modernizing early screening infrastructure in public hospitals serves as a model for strengthening preventative maternal and child healthcare networks across urban and semi-urban regions nationwide.

Early Clinical Intervention Framework Scaled Up Across State Healthcare Network

In a major advancement for preventive pediatric healthcare in the National Capital Territory, the Delhi Government expanded its comprehensive newborn screening infrastructure under Mission ANMOL (Advanced Newborn Monitoring and Optimal Life Care). The program expansion scales up free, routine clinical screening from basic health checks to cover 63 congenital, genetic, and metabolic conditions.

The formal rollout took place at Thyagaraj Stadium during the ASHA Sammelan 2026, held under the broader Seva Sankalp Abhiyan umbrella. The event also featured the inauguration of the new State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) headquarters at GB Pant Hospital and a doubled monthly incentive for 6,690 ASHA workers.

Overview: Key Parameters of Delhi's Expanded Mission ANMOL Program

Operational MetricProgram Specification & Implementation Target
Program NomenclatureMission ANMOL (Advanced Newborn Monitoring & Optimal Life Care)
Expanded Disorder Scope63 Congenital, Genetic, & Metabolic Conditions
Mandatory Screening Window24 to 72 Hours Post-Birth
Annual Coverage TargetScaled from 1.5 Lakh to 2.5 Lakh Newborns
Frontline Field Integration6,690 ASHA Workers managing follow-ups & referrals

Heel-Prick Testing and Diagnostic Referral Architecture

Under Mission ANMOL, medical personnel collect dried blood spot (DBS) samples via a standard, low-pain heel prick performed on infants between 24 and 72 hours after birth. The expanded panel tests for severe but treatable conditions—including congenital hypothyroidism, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), phenylketonuria, galactosemia, and various amino acid disorders.

Mission ANMOL Screening & Treatment Pipeline: --------------------------------------------- Delivery at Health Facility ──> Heel-Prick Sample (24-72 Hours) ──> Centralized Lab Testing ──> ASHA Referral & Early Treatment

Official health records indicate that over 75,000 infants have been screened during initial trial phases, with more than 700 children receiving early medical treatment that prevented severe physical or developmental impairments.

Strengthening Frontline Primary Healthcare and Digital Oversight

Highlighting the essential role of frontline health workers in executing the program, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that monthly allowance incentives for Delhi’s 6,690 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) would be doubled from ₹3,000 to ₹6,000. ASHA workers serve as the critical link in contacting mothers, tracking home births, and ensuring infants flagged during preliminary testing are brought to designated nodal hospitals for diagnostic confirmation.

Furthermore, Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu launched the Nursing Home Management System portal alongside the screening expansion. The online system streamlines registration, renewal, and compliance monitoring for private maternity centers across the capital, ensuring private healthcare providers adhere to mandatory newborn screening protocols.