23-26 February 2020
Colombo, Sri Lanka
23-26 February 2020
Colombo, Sri Lanka
23-26 February 2020
Colombo, Sri Lanka
23-26 February 2020
Colombo, Sri Lanka
23-26 February 2020
Colombo, Sri Lanka
23-26 February 2020
Colombo, Sri Lanka
23-26 February 2020
Colombo, Sri Lanka
ICBD 2020 Gallery
Inauguration
You may wish to see the very inspiring keynote talk given by Prof. Arnold Christianson at the inauguration.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Today is International children's book day and we have lots of fancy dress ideas for you.
Click on the link below for our 101 ideas.
#InternationalChildrensBookDay #ChildrensBookDay #ICBD #ICBD2020 #fancydressnorthwich #fancydress #giftsnparty #childrenscostumes
Se inicia la #ICBD2020 en Sri Lanka - Colombia presente con el programa de Vigilancia de niños con defectos congénitos de Bogotá Secretaría de Salud de Bogotá e Instituto de Genética Javeriana @SectorSalud @PesquisaPUJ @GeneticaPUJ
3
Get a copy of the Colombo Declaration for Birth Defects Prevention and Care. Download link included in this #YouthForHealth article on #ICBD2020 #WorldBDday https://twitter.com/vylhphilippines/status/1234874226441457664
YOUTH FOR HEALTH | #ICBD2020 calls to Accelerate Efforts for Birth Defects Prevention and Care Towards Health for All
#YouthForHealth
Read more at https://vylhphilippines.blogspot.com/2020/03/icbd-2020-calls-to-accelerate-efforts.html
#WorldBDDay Last week at #ICBD2020 in Colombo, Sri Lanka we generated a #birthdefects_declaration. So proud of @SLMAonline colleagues who led this effort. @WHO @WHOSEARO @WHOSriLanka @MarchofDimes @modhealthtalk https://twitter.com/SLMAonline/status/1234852351082684419
Dr. Kapila Jayarathne, Chair of ICBD 2020 and Prof. Vajira Dissanayake presenting the “Colombo Declaration on Birth Defects Care and Prevention” to Dr Razia Pendse, World Health Organization Representative in Sri Lanka, in Colombo to mark the World Birth Defects Day. #ICBD2020
#WorldBDDay Last week at #ICBD2020 in Colombo, Sri Lanka we generated a #birthdefects_declaration. So proud of @SLMAonline colleagues who led this effort. @WHO @WHOSEARO @WHOSriLanka @MarchofDimes @modhealthtalk https://twitter.com/SLMAonline/status/1234852351082684419
Dr. Kapila Jayarathne, Chair of ICBD 2020 and Prof. Vajira Dissanayake presenting the “Colombo Declaration on Birth Defects Care and Prevention” to Dr Razia Pendse, World Health Organization Representative in Sri Lanka, in Colombo to mark the World Birth Defects Day. #ICBD2020
About ICBD 2020
About the conference
Recognizing the need to build capacity in lower-income countries for the prevention of birth defects and preterm birth and care of those affected, the goal of these biennial conferences has been to provide specific practical tools and approaches that developing country participants can use to implement and strengthen surveillance and health care delivery and influence policy and funding in support when they return to their respective countries.
Previous conferences
Bogotá D.C., Colombia (2017), Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania (2015), Cebu, Philippines (2013); Lodz, Poland (2011); New Delhi, India (2009); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2007); Beijing, China (2005); Johannesburg, South Africa, (2001).
Who should attend?
Health care providers, policymakers, researchers, donors, parent-patient organizations, other NGOs and youth volunteers from across the world interested in strengthening reproductive, maternal, newborn and child and adolescent health, with a focus on the prevention of birth defects, preterm birth and associated disabilities.
ICBD 2020 Agenda
- Sunday 23 Feb 2020
- Monday 24 Feb 2020
- Tuesday 25 Feb 2020
- Wednesday 26 Feb 2020
Sunday 23 Feb 2020
8:00 am - 9:00 am REGISTRATION - DAY 1
Conference Registration
Registration Counters
9:00 am - 3:00 pm PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
WORKSHOP 1 - Skills building in Birth Defects Surveillance
(By invitation only)
In Collaboration with WHO, CDC, MoD
WORKSHOP 2 - Genomic Education for the Multi-Disciplinary Care of Birth Defects
In collaboration with the
Global Consortium for Genomic Education (GC4GE), Global Genomic Medicine Collaborative, and the Human Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm OPENING CEREMONIES
Opening Ceremonies
Oak Room
Keynote
The Recent History of Developing Services for People with Birth Defects in the Developing World: A View from the Past for the Future.
Arnold Christianson
Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand,
Johannesburg,
South Africa
Monday 24 Feb 2020
8:00 am - 8:30 am REGISTRATION - DAY 2
Conference Registration
8:30 am - 10:00 am PLENARY SESSION 1
Partnerships and Programs for Improving Birth Defects Surveillance
Surveillance for emerging threats to pregnant women and infants
Peggy Honein
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
USA
Regional surveillance programs and burden of birth defects in South East Asia
Neena Raina
South East Asian Regional Office
World Health Organisation
New Delhi
Expanded objectives of birth defects surveillance in developing countries
Boris Groisman
International Centre for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research
Argentina
Births Defects surveillance efforts in Sri Lanka
Kapila Jayarathne
Ministry of Health
Sri Lanka
10:00 am - 11:00 am PLENARY SESSION 2
Prevention Before Pregnancy
A Life course approach to preconception health and pregnancy planning
Gita Mishra
University of Brisbane
Australia
Primary prevention of birth defects
Cindy Moore
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
USA
11:00 am - 11:30 am D2 BREAKOUT 1
Poster Session, Networking and Coffee Break
11:30 am - 1:00 pm SIMULTANEOUS SYMPOSIA - DAY 2 SESSION 1
SYMPOSIUM 1 - Folic Acid Fortification for Immediate Prevention of Global Epidemics of Neural Tube Defects: Global Experience and Next Steps in Asia
Organised by the Center for Spina Bifida Prevention & Food Fortification Initiative, Emory University, USA
Mandatory cereal grain fortification: global status, best practices, and opportunities
Scott Montgomery
Food Fortification Initiative
USA
2019 global status of prevention of folic acid preventable spina bifida and anencephaly
Vijaya Kancherla
Center for Spina Bifida Prevention, Emory University
USA
Preventing neural tube defects in Haryana, India: a project to implement wheat flour fortification in the public distribution system and safety net programs
Sonia Trikha
State Health Systems Resource Centre Haryana State
India
NTD care and advocacy, its role in fortification
Lieven Bauwens
International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
Belgium
Sri Lanka: Identifying opportunities and the path towards mandatory fortification
Renuka Jayatissa
Medical Research Institute
Ministry of Health
Sri Lanka
SYMPOSIUM 2 - Life Course Approaches and Programs for Improving the Health of Women and Girls Before, During and After Pregnancy
OP-01: Workplace Wellness Across the Lifespan: A Pilot Program for Health Promotion in a Middle-Income Country
Khalid Yunis
Lebanon
OP-02: Workplace wellness modules across the lifespan: Utilizing e-Learning access to knowledge
Carmencita Padilla
Philippines
OP-03: Readiness for implementation of preconception care in Uganda
Nathan Isabirye
Uganda
OP-04: Preconception health care services delivered in selected medical officer in areas of Kandy District Sri Lanka
Suranga Ubesekara
Sri Lanka
OP-05: Impact of antenatal care on stillbirth at a tertiary care referral hospital of India
Nishi Choudhary
India
SYMPOSIUM 3 - Counting Birth Defects: Innovations in Surveillance
OP-06: Global birth defect inventory of resources for surveillance and research
International Committee for Congenital Anomaly Surveillance Tools
EUROCAT, ECLAMC, ICBD, CDC, WHO-SEARO, WHO-TDR, MUHJU
Helen Dolk
UK
OP-07: A Reflection of Birth Defect Surveillance in Bangladesh: Challenges and Opportunities
Mohammad Shahidullah
Bangladesh
OP-08: Integrating birth defect surveillance midwives into existing labor ward sructures: A comparison between government and private-not-for-profit hospitals in Kampala, Uganda
Joyce Namale Matovu
Uganda
OP-09: Pattern of congenital anomalies among women opting for elective termination of pregnancy for fetal anomalies (ETOPFA)
Bharti Sharma
India
OP-10: Comparison of modelled and observed data for isolated oral facial clefts in South Africa
Helen Malherbe
South Africa
OP-11: Overcoming the defect: A perinatal review of congenital anomalies in 6984 consecutive deliveries in a tertiary center in Western Nepal
Shreyashi Aryal
Nepal
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm LUNCH AND NETWORKING - DAY 2
Lunch and Networking
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm PLENARY SESSION 3
Linking Birth Defects to Sustainable Development Goals (2030)
An introduction to the 2030 SDGs in the context of child health and birth defects
Nathalie Roos
World Health Organization
Switzerland
Surveillance, prevention and care of those with birth defects contribute to countries achieving their SDG child health targets
Salimah Walani
March of Dimes
USA
Polling to understand the perception of ICBD Conference attendees about birth defects and their relation to SDGs
Vijaya Kancherla
Center for Spina Bifida Prevention Emory University
USA
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm PLENARY SESSION 4
Reducing Exposure to Harmful Substances and Infections for Improving Birth Outcomes
Impact of Opioids and alcohol on birth outcomes
Rahul Gupta
March of Dimes
USA
Medications during pregnancy and birth defects
Priyadarshani Galapatti
Department of Pharmacology
University of Colombo
Sri Lanka
Infectious diseases and birth defects
Pablo Duran
Pan American Health Organisation
World Health Organisation
USA
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm D2 BREAKOUT 2
Poster Session, Networking and Coffee Break
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm SIMULTANEOUS SYMPOSIA – DAY 2 SESSION 2
SYMPOSIUM 4 - Evidence gaps and new knowledge to support NTD prevention activities in LMICs
Organised by Nutrition International
Introduction: The Folate Task Team
Homero Martinez
USA
Folate status assessment in women of reproductive age: capacity building for Red Blood Cell Microbiological Assay
Renuka Jayatissa
Sri Lanka
Salt as an alternative food vehicle to provide folic acid in select LMIC
Vijaya Kancherla
USA
New Information for Policy Makers to Support the Adoption of Mandatory Large-Scale Food Fortification Programs
Homero Martinez
USA
SYMPOSIUM 5 - Reorienting Healthcare System for Improving the Quality of Maternal and Newborn Health Services
OP-12: Training module for primary health care worker for improved recognition and follow up for persons with a congenital disorder
Helen Malherbe
South Africa
OP-13: Implementation of expanded operational guidelines on use of antenatal corticosteroids: Perspective of program implementers and health care professionals in Northern India
Mona Duggal
India
OP-14: The impact of different intervention packages on facility intervention package on health facility deliveries utilization and other maternal and newborn care practices in Uganda
Peter Waiswa
Uganda
OP-15: Best Wishes Program: Use of mobile phone technology (mHealth) for care coordination directed towards birth defects prevention
Ram Thapa
Nepal
OP-16: The Baby Buddy app: A digital health intervention to bridge neonatal health inequalities in the United Kingdom.
Nilushka Perera
UK
SYMPOSIUM 6 - Quality of Life Strategies to Reduce Mortality and Improve Physical and Developmental Outcomes of Children with Birth Defects
OP-17: Outcomes of infants with structural birth defects in Galle, Sri Lanka
Janithra De Silva
Sri Lanka
OP-18: Quality of life of primary caregivers having children with congenital heart diseases awaiting cardiac surgery attending at Lady Ridgeway Hospital
Pavithra Warnakulasooriya
Sri Lanka
OP-19: Thalidomide and Zika virus: Lessons for health and welfare systems of low and middle income countries
Anita Kar
India
OP-20: Birth defect in South-East Asian Regional Countries; Challenges and Progress in the Research, Policies and Programmes: A scoping review
Tonima Islam Trisa
Bangladesh
Tuesday 25 Feb 2020
8:00 am - 8:30 am REGISTRATION - DAY 3
Conference Registration
8:30 am - 10:00 am PLENARY SESSION 5
Unaddressed challenges of Birth Defects
Eliminating stigma and discrimination against persons with birth defects and disabilities
Leivan Bawens
International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
Belgium
Advocating for national newborn screening programs
Carmencita Padilla
University of Manila
Philippines
Unaddressed challenges of birth defects prevntion & control in Sri Lanka
Chithramlee de Silva
Family Health Bureau
Sri Lanka
Mobilising resources for care of children with congenital heart disease in Sri Lanka
Duminda Samarasingha
Lady Ridgeway Hospital Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10:00 am - 11:00 am PLENARY SESSION 6
Family Planning and Adolescent Health
Organised by United National Fund for Population Activities
11:00 am - 11:30 am D3 BREAKOUT 1
Poster Session, Networking and Coffee Break
11:30 am - 1:00 pm SIMULTANEOUS SYMPOSIA - DAY 3 SESSION 1
SYMPOSIUM 7 - Strengthening Birth Defects Surveillance for Saving and Improving Lives
Organised by the World Health Organisation, Geneva
Strengthening services for managing birth defects
Ornella Lincetto
World Health Organization
Geneva
Switzerland
Current Status of Global Birth Defects Surveillance: Results from 2018-2019 WHO Birth Defects Surveillance Systems Mapping Project
Vijaya Kancherla
Rollins School of Public Health
Emory University
USA
Birth defects surveillance - Experiences from the recent Zika outbreak
Cara Mai
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
USA
Introduction to the updated WHO birth defects Atlas – What is new?
Nathalie Roos
World Health Organization
Geneva
Switzerland
Country perspective from Uganda: Parents voices: children living with a birth defect
Sylivia Kyomuhendo and Okello Harrison
Infants' Health Foundation
Uganda
Moderated discussion with questions and answers
Rajesh Mehta
South East Asia Regional Office
World Health Organization
India
SYMPOSIUM 8 - Diagnostic Strategies: Genetic Testing, Newborn Screening, Pathological Evaluations
OP-21: Molecular signature of preterm premature rupture of fetal membrane
Jing Pan
China
OP-22: The Saudi Human Genome Program (SHGP) and Precision Medicine in Saudi Arabia
Aida I Al Aqeel
Prince Sultan Military Medical City
Saudi Arabia
OP-23: Genetic service for birth defects at the Dutch Caribbean Islands
Eline Verberne
Netherlands
OP-24: Minimally Invasive Autopsy in the Evaluation of Fetal Malformations
Nitika Langeh
India
SYMPOSIUM 9 - Networking and partnerships for birth defects related research, prevention and care
OP-25: Creating and Strengthening Global Partnerships to End Disability from Clubfoot
Alaric Aroojis
India
OP-26: Combining the strength of government and NGOs, providing comprehensive care for the infants - An encouraging experience from China
Xinliang Zhao
China
OP-27: Thailand National Plan for Prevention and Care of Birth Defects & Disabilities
Pornswan Wasant
Thailand
OP-28: The Neonate Fund: Delivering Hope through Facilitating Quality NICU Care
Pascale Nakad
Lebanon
OP-29: Knowledge on advanced maternal age, offspring outcomes and attitudes towards advanced maternal age among pregnant mothers in the Colombo municipal area
Sashiprabha Nawaratne
Sri Lanka
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm LUNCH AND NETWORKING - DAY 3
Lunch and Networking
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm PLENARY SESSION 7
Premature Birth
Burden of Preterm Birth in LMICs
Razia Pendse
Country Office
World Health Organization
Sri Lanka
Scientific Advances in Prevention of Preterm Births
Kelle Moley
March of Dimes
USA
Advances in care of a baby born too soon or too sick
Ornella Lincetto
World Health Organization
Geneva
Switzerland
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm PLENARY SESSION 8
Digital Health Standards and Interventions for Improving Birth Outcomes
Birth Defects and Rare Disorders Teminology
Matthew Darlison
WHO Collaborating Centre for Community Genetics
University College London
UK
A Semantic Information Standard for Global Child Health
Elizabeth Siderius
Paediatrician
GGD IJsselland
Netherlands
Development of the Global Birth Defects App for Birth Defect Description and Coding
International Committee for Congenital Anomaly Surveillance Tools EUROCAT, ECLAMC, ICBD, CDC, WHO-SEARO, WHO-TDR, MUHJU
Aminkeng Leke
UK
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm D3 BREAKOUT 2
Poster Session, Networking and Coffee Break
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm SIMULTANEOUS SYMPOSIA – DAY 3 SESSION 2
SYMPOSIUM 10 - Counting birth defects: Hospital and Population based Surveillance
OP-30: Study of Birth Defects in Government Referral Hospital, Maldives 2016-2018
Dr Ahmed Faisal
Maldives
OP-31: A descriptive study on feto-infant structural anomalies in maternal diabetes mellitus: an autopsy study at a tertiary care setting.
P. R. V. Lakmini
Sri Lanka
OP-32: Analysis of stillbirth in a tertiary care hospital of Delhi: a contribution to NNBD project
Abha Singh
India
OP-33: Incidence, disease spectrum, and genetic defects in congenital heart disease in China: Prenatal ultrasound screening identified 18,171 affected fetuses from 2,452,249 pregnancies
Xinlin Che
China
OP-34: Birth defects in Congenital Rubella Syndrome-A Hospital Based Surveillance at Tertiary Care Center
Kuldeep Singh
India
OP-35: Neural Tube Defects in China,2007-2017: Data from the National Population-based Birth Defects Surveillance
Changfei Deng
China
SYMPOSIUM 11 - Epidemiologic Approaches in the study of Preterm Birth and Birth Defects
OP-36: Global, regional, and national levels and trends in Congenital Birth Defects, 1990-2019
Lauren B. Wilner
USA
OP-37: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, other comorbidities, and mortality rates associated with extremely premature births in a large medical records database in the United States
Csaba Siffel
USA
OP-38: Epidemiological profiling from scientific first principles - progress and prospects of the Modell Global Database of Congenital Disorders
Matthew W Darlison
UK
OP-39: Prevalence and mortality among infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia: A multi-registry analysis
Wendy N. Nembhard
USA
OP-40: Population medical genetics approach in clusters of mucopolysaccharidoses identified in Latin America
Francyne Kubaski
Brazil
OP-41: Spina bifida phenotypes and sex-specific prevalence among offspring of folic acid Users
Cynthia Moore
USA
SYMPOSIUM 12 - Food Fortification for Prevention of Birth Defects
OP-42: High potential for reducing folic acid-preventable spina bifida and anencephaly, and related stillbirth and child mortality, in Ethiopia
Vijaya Kancherla
USA
OP-43: Folate and vitamin b12 status in women of reproductive age in rural areas in Haryana, Northern India
Reena Das
India
OP-44: Awareness and factors associated with reported intake of folic acid-fortified flour among women of reproductive age in Ifakara, Morogoro region, Tanzania: A cross-sectional study
Ipyana Frank Mwandelile
Tanzania
OP-45: Potential level of global prevention of neural tube defects with folic acid-fortified salt
Vijaya Kancherla
USA
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm CONFERENCE DINNER
CONFERENCE DINNER
Wednesday 26 Feb 2020
8:00 am - 8:30 am REGISTRATION - DAY 4
Conference Registration
8:30 am - 10:00 am SIMULTANEOUS SYMPOSIA – DAY 4
SYMPOSIUM 13 - Preconception Care: Engaging Civil Society
Organised by Preparing for Life, Netherlands
The role of civil society in preconception education
Symone Detmar
Preparing for life
Netherlands
The role of Zonta in engaging civil society
Dineshani Hettiarachchi
Zonta
Sri Lanka
Youth engagement in preconception care
Carmencita Padilla
University of Manila
Philippines
A school based program in the Netherlands
Symone Detmar
Preparing for life
Netherlands
Lessons from voluntarism
Rufus Adducul
Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health
Philippines
SYMPOSIUM 14 - Sharing Unique Sri Lankan Experiences
Caring for a Newborn with birth defects: Approach to evaluation & management in Sri Lanka
Dr. Surantha Perera
Castle Street Hospital for Women
Sri Lanka
Caring for Children in Conflict Situations - Sri Lanka's experience
Sujeewa Amarasena
University of Ruhuna
Sri Lanka
The electronic Reproductive Health Information Management System (e-RHMIS) – the country wide digital system for monitoring maternal and child health services in Sri Lanka
Kaushalya Kasturiarachchi
Ministry of Health
Sri Lanka
Genetic Testing for Birth Defects – the Sri Lankan Experience
Vajira H. W. Dissanayake
University of Colombo
Sri Lanka
SYMPOSIUM 15 - Reducing Risk Factors for Adverse Birth Outcomes
OP-46: Changing spectrum and risk factor association in new born babies with birth defects in a tertiary care hospital of North India
Shobhna Gupta
India
OP-47: Pattern and risk factor associated with congenital anomalies in newborn babies born in Dhulikhel Hospital
Srijana Dongol Singh
Nepal
OP-48: Specific birth defects in pregnancies of women with diabetes - National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011
Cindy Moore
USA
OP-49: Prevalence, pattern and the association of major structural congenital anomalies with maternal and foetal factors at the Neonatal Care Unit (NICU/SCBU) of a tertiary hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Hasani Hewavitharana
Sri Lanka
OP-50: Pattern of congenital malformations and associated risk factors among neonates admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya
Everlyn Machogu
Kenya
10:00 am - 10:30 am D4 BREAKOUT 1
Poster Session, Networking and Coffee Break
10:30 am - 12:00 pm PLENARY SESSION 9
The voice of the Community & Parent Organizations
Parent perceptions, fear, support and legal protection on children with disability
Lasanthi Daskon
Sri Lanka
Stories of stigma and isolation experienced by persons with birth defects in India
Anita Kar
India
Giving patients and parents of premature and sick babies in low resource settings a voice
Selina Bentoom
Ghana
Giving women and children a voice for improving their birth outcomes through “Our Dream Initiative” in Egypt
Mona Elnaka
Egypt
Multidisciplinary team involvement in children with disabilities in Sri Lanka
Samanmali Sumanasena
Sri Lanka
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm CLOSING CEREMONIES
CLOSING CEREMONIES
Colombo Declaration
Closing Remarks by Conference Chairs
Poster Presentations:
ICBD 2020 Keynote Speaker
Prof. Arnold Christianson
Arnold Christianson graduated MBChB (Birmingham) in Zimbabwe in 1974, & trained in paediatrics at the University of Cape Town. He obtained his MRCP (UK) in 1981 and was elected FRCP Edin in 1998. Initially a consultant neonatologist in Cape Town he entered private paediatric practice in Durban for 6 years. Returning to academia to do neuro-developmental paediatrics in 1990 in Johannesburg, he switched to medical genetics in 1992. His research interests were dysmorphology, the epidemiology of birth defects & developing care & prevention services for people with birth defects in developing nations. A professor of medical genetics from 1997 he became Professor & Head of Medical Genetics, University of the Witwatersrand, in 2008, retiring in 2015. He published 59 peer reviewed articles, 11 book chapters and was an expert advisor at 10 WHO meetings, of which one he chaired and another co-chaired. In 2015 he obtained an MA (Wits) in Applied Ethics.
Important Dates
Call for abstracts
February 1, 2019
Deadline for abstracts submission
May 31, 2019
Abstract acceptance notification
October 31, 2019
Conference registration starts
November 1, 2019
Early registration deadline
December 31, 2019
Regular registration deadline
January 31, 2020
Late registration
February 1, 2020
ICBD 2020 conference starts
February 23, 2020
ICBD 2020 Topics
Professionals, policy makers, researchers and students working in the areas related to the theme and topics of this conference are invited to submit abstracts for consideration. The conference will be organized around the following topics, with the focus of each being on the presentation of successful best practices/models of prevention and care of birth defects and premature birth around the world:
- Life course approaches for prevention of birth defects, stillbirth and preterm birth by addressing lifestyle, infections, nutrition and contraception
- Counting birth defects: Surveillance, newborn screening, pathological evaluations and ensuring data quality
- Programs and services for improving the health of women and girls before, during and after pregnancy
- Diagnostic strategies, including genetic testing for birth defects, across the life cycle
- Treatment options and care arrangements for individuals with birth defects and disabilities
- Ensuring continuation of services from pediatric to adult care for individuals with birth defects
- Reorienting healthcare system to integrate prevention and care of birth defects
- Use of information and communication technology, media and social networking for improving birth outcomes
- The role of civil society, parent/patient organizations for birth defects prevention, advocacy and services
- Education of healthcare workers for improving the quality of maternal and newborn health services
- Networking and partnerships for birth defects related research, prevention and care
- National policies and programs for the birth defects prevention and care
- Strategies to reduce mortality and improve physical and developmental outcomes of children with birth defects
- Eliminating stigma and discrimination against persons with birth defects and disabilities
- Policy and practice implications of recent scientific and epidemiologic research related to birth defects and preterm birth
- Food fortification policies and programs for prevention of birth defects
- Addressing maternal and newborn health in humanitarian settings for improving birth outcomes
- Reducing exposure to harmful and teratogenic substances, including alcohol, drugs and medications for improving birth outcomes
Conference Chairs
Dr Kapila Jayaratne
Conference Chair
Secretary – Sri Lanka Medical Association
Sri Lanka
Dr Anula Wijesundere
Conference Co-Chair
President – Sri Lanka Medical Association
Sri Lanka
Dr Salimah Walani
Conference Co-Chair
Vice President of Global Programs, March of Dimes
USA
Prof Vajira Dissanayake
Scientific Committee Chair
Chair Professor of Anatomy & Director of Human Genetics
Sri Lanka
ICBD 2020 Editorial Team
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Dr. Ruwan Ferdinando
-
Dr. Manjula Danansuriya
-
Dr. Saraji Wijesekara
-
Dr. Dilhani Smarasekara
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Dr. Sumudu Hewage
-
Dr. Sajith Edirisinghe
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Location
Hotel Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, Sri Lanka