QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 9709)
Republic Act No. 9709 is titled the “Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Act of 2009.” Its primary purpose is to establish a Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program to prevent, enable early diagnosis, and provide early intervention for congenital hearing loss.
The law recognizes the right of children to survival, full and healthy development, and a better quality of life, and it notes that deaf or hard-of-hearing newborns/children have unique language and learning/communication needs that must be addressed through a comprehensive program.
The UNHSP aims to ensure all newborns can access screening; establish stakeholder networks; provide continuing capacity building; establish and maintain a newborn hearing screening database; ensure linkages to diagnosis and early intervention systems; develop research-based public policy through consultations; and develop models for effective screening, referral, and linkage to diagnostic and qualified early intervention services.
A “Newborn” is an infant from complete delivery to thirty (30) days old.
Healthcare practitioners who deliver or assist in delivering a newborn must, prior to delivery, inform parents/guardians of the availability, nature, and benefits of hearing loss screening among newborns or infants three (3) months old and below; and if congenital hearing loss is found, they must inform them of diagnostic audiologic evaluation, intervention/treatment options, and counseling availability.
All infants born in hospitals in the Philippines must be screened before discharge unless parents/guardians object under Section 7. Infants not born in hospitals must be screened within the first three (3) months after birth.
The newborn must undergo audiologic diagnostic evaluation in a timely manner so that follow-up, recall, and referral for intervention can occur before age six (6) months. Audiologic diagnostic evaluation must be performed by DOH-certified Newborn Hearing Screening Centers.
It is the joint responsibility of the parents/legal guardian and the healthcare practitioner to ensure that hearing screening is performed, supported by DOH informational materials defining their roles and duties.
The attending healthcare practitioner must refer the newborn to the municipal or city health center of the barangay with jurisdiction for newborn hearing loss screening and audiologic diagnostic evaluation.
A parent or legal guardian may refuse screening on religious and/or cultural grounds, but must acknowledge in writing that they were informed of their responsibility and the risks of underdiagnosed congenital hearing loss if screening is not administered. The waiver copy must be part of the newborn’s medical record and entered into the national newborn hearing screening database.
The Department of Health (DOH) is the lead agency. It coordinates with DILG, DepEd, LGUs, and private stakeholders; coordinates with the NIH for certification and protocols; monitors screening implementation in health institutions; helps develop universal screening programs for hospitals and non-hospital sites; and develops a rehabilitation program for deaf children through available intervention services and therapies.
They undertake newborn hearing loss screening, audiologic diagnostic evaluation, recall, follow-up, and referral. If a newborn is diagnosed with congenital hearing loss, the Center (or barangay health workers) provides referral for treatment to the provincial hospital of the concerned LGU; if beyond the provincial hospital’s capability, referral is made to a DOH tertiary hospital (including PGH) or other nationally funded non-DOH hospitals.
Hospitals and Newborn Screening Centers must periodically submit screening results to the NIH Newborn Hearing Screening Reference Center. The NIH maintains a national database of children tested and a separate registry for those diagnosed with hearing loss, then submits annual reports to the DOH on status and relevant health information.
It requires developing a plan for long-term outcome evaluation within one (1) year from effectivity. It also authorizes DOH/Nih to make grant awards and technical assistance, and mandates activities such as standardized data management procedures, cost-effectiveness studies, identifying causes/risk factors for congenital hearing loss, assessing child health/development/language status at school age, and sharing data with birth defects and development disabilities monitoring programs.
PHIC must include hearing loss screening in its benefit package, including screening costs, registry, follow-up, and reasonable overhead expenses. PHIC must develop a gradual coverage program for screening, diagnostic evaluation, and intervention services. The DOH reviews and recommends fees charged by Newborn Screening Centers. No screening fee may be charged to a patient who availed of accredited behavioral tests (e.g., tuning fork and penlight and other indigenous methods).
It takes effect fifteen (15) days after publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. It has a separability clause: if any provision is held unconstitutional/invalid, remaining provisions remain valid. It also has a repealing clause: laws inconsistent with RA 9709 are repealed or modified accordingly.