China expands prevention, control measures for disabilities caused by birth defects, development disorders

BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- China has made unrelenting efforts to prevent and control disabilities caused by birth defects and development disorders, with expanding coverage of various health screenings, said the China Disabled Persons' Federation on Wednesday.

Compared to 2020, the coverage of pre-marital health check-ups and pre-natal health screenings increased by 6.3 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively, in 2022, sources with the federation told a press conference in the run-up to the seventh National Disability Prevention Day on Aug. 25.

More than 90 percent of the country's newborns have received health screenings for inherited metabolic disorders and hearing impairment, the sources said.