21 January 2022 16:18

450 children with growth hormone deficiency were provided with growth hormone medication for free of charge

450 children diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency receive free treatment at the Republican Center of Endocrinology by the State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance (Agency). The Agency provides growth hormone injection treatment for children diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency.

It should be noted that although the treatment of growth hormone deficiency is not included in the Benefit Package, the Agency provides this service to prevent stunting in children and to identify children with this risk at earlier stages.

“Many families can't afford to buy them because medications for people suffering from this problem are very expensive. The Agency provides these medications to prevent children from being deprived of treatment. This brings happiness to families and prevents children from becoming disabled in the future”- said Babek Salek Gannadi, Chief Physician of the Republican Center of Endocrinology.

Growth hormone deficiency is diagnosed by a pediatric endocrinologist based on laboratory test.

The medications are given free of charge until the growth plate fusion occur, ie bone age (the age corresponding to the development of skeletal bones of the child according to X-ray examination) up to 14 years for girls and 16 years for boys.

As a result of carried out measures, growth occurs in children suffering from growth hormone deficiency. Babek Salek Gannadi added that hormone therapy is not used for every short child, and the cause of growth retardation in a child must be determined before starting this treatment:

“The first factor impacting growth is genetic factors. Every child inherits genes from both parents. The second factor is nutrition. If there is nutritional disorder, it should be corrected first. If there is a hormone deficiency, hormone deficiency treatment solves the problem. Some people are worried that the treatment used in hormone therapy may have serious side effects. However, the hormone can be used only if the child is diagnosed with hormone deficiency after certain tests. Otherwise, there is no rule that every short child will benefit from hormone therapy. Growth hormone used in growth retardation does not have side effects as it is a hormone that affects the cartilages of the bones.”

It should be noted that a working group consisting of leading pediatric endocrinologists of different medical facilities with the participation of the Republican Center of Endocrinology has been active in accordance with the “National Action Plan for Early Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Disabilities 2018-2020” approved by the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated May 10, 2018.

The Working Group is carrying out an early detection, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment of stunted children.

In 2019, the Working Group developed the "Methodological Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Growth Hormone Deficiency" for the first time in Azerbaijan. Trainings were organized in the regions for more than 400 pediatricians and endocrinologists with the support of the Working Group and the Public Health and Reforms Center (PHRC).