which 445 newborns were diagnosed with a high level of TSH and were referred to state hospitals for confirmatory testing and further treatment supervised by state hospitals.

The project tests the entire birth cohort (approximately 48,000 babies a year) for hypothyroidism using a few drops of capillary blood collected at maternity houses within four days of birth. The blood is collected on filter paper discs and allowed to dry prior to transport to the reference lab at ExpressDiagnostics Ltd. There, the analyses are performed using modern immunoassay laboratory equipment and neonatal TSH Elisa test kits to determine the quantitative measurement of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, TSH, in human blood.

Results of screening tests are reported to the State United Social Insurance Fund which will notify the care-takers of newborns affected with hypothyroidism. The Insurance Fund will work with these caretakers to insure newborns receive the State-funded treatment which will prevent the neurological and growth impairments of the disease.

Until recently the treatment was ineffective due to late clinical diagnosis and subsequent late therapy. Fortunately, with the present opportunity to identify almost all newborns with hypothyroidism shortly after birth, mental retardation and growth failure can be effectively prevented. The number of children who benefit from this program appear to be quite high, based on statistics from 2007, which showed that one out of every 400 newborns was affected with hypothyroidism.

Recognizing the importance of national screening for congenital hypothyroidism, the Government of Georgia has made a commitment to finance 50% of the project cost in 2009 and to provide full financing starting from 2010.