Diagnostic outcome of pro bono neurogenetic diagnostic service in Sri Lanka: A wealth creation

• Published in: European journal of human genetics : EJHG 2024-01, Vol.32 (10), p.1299-1306
• Main Authors: Gonawala, Lakmal, Wijekoon, Nalaka, Attanayake, Darshika, Ratnayake, Pyara, Sirisena, Darshana, Gunasekara, Harsha, Dissanayake, Athula, Keshavaraj, Ajantha, Mohan, Chandra, Steinbusch, Harry W. M., Hoffman, Eric P., Dalal, Ashwin, de Silva, K. Ranil D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 38/22; 45/23; 45/29; 45/77; 631/208/2489/1512; 631/378/2583; Bioinformatics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cytogenetics; Developing countries; Duchenne's muscular dystrophy; Gene Expression; Gene therapy; Hereditary diseases; Hospitals; Human Genetics; LDCs; Neurological diseases; Neurosciences; Resource development; Specialty products; Spinal muscular atrophy
• ISSN: 1018-4813; 1476-5438; 1476-5438
• DOI: 10.1038/s41431-023-01525-3

The inherited disease community in Sri Lanka has been widely neglected. This article aimed to present accumulated knowledge in establishing a pro bono cost-effective national, island-wide, free-of-charge molecular diagnostic service, suggesting a model for other developing countries. The project provided 637 molecular diagnostic tests and reports free of charge to a nation with limited resources. We pioneered the implementation of mobile clinics and home visits, where the research team acted as barefoot doctors with the concept of the doctor and the researcher at the patient’s doorstep. Establishing pro bono, cost-effective molecular diagnostics is feasible in developing countries with limited resources and state funding through the effort of dedicated postgraduate students. This service could provide an accurate molecular diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, Spinocerebellar ataxia, and Spinal muscular atrophy, a diagnostic yield of 54% (343/637), of which 43% (147/343) of the patients identified as amenable for available gene therapies. Initiated human resource development by double doctoral degree opportunities with international collaborations. Established a neurobiobank and a national registry in Sri Lanka, a rich and unique repository, wealth creation for translational collaborative research and sharing of information in neurological diseases, as well as a lodestar for aspiring initiatives from other developing countries.