Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is an endocrine disorder but with early diagnosis and management can prevent the permanent neurodevelopment impairment. Studying the epidemiology of CH in Asian populations is essential for several reasons; To identify regional risk factors that contribute to the variation in incidence and etiology, improve and tailor newborn screening (NBS) strategies based on local demographics, environmental exposures, and healthcare resources, to guide public health supplementation and maternal thyroid health monitoring and to reduce health disparities and optimize long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for affected children. The literature search was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Open Access Journals for studies published between 2000 and 2025. Population-based NBS studies, national registry data, and large multicenter reports from Asian countries were included. Case reports, small case series, and studies lacking denominators were excluded. Data were extracted on incidence, screening strategies, risk factors, and etiological patterns, and narratively synthesized due to methodological heterogeneity. Higher incidence rates of CH were observed in Iran, India, Sri Lanka, and parts of the Middle East, whereas lower rates were reported in Japan, South Korea, and Central Asia. Key contributing factors included iodine imbalance, consanguinity, maternal thyroid disease, genetic susceptibility, and differences in screening protocols. Countries with universal NBS programs demonstrated earlier diagnosis and improved clinical outcomes. Expansion of universal NBS, optimization of diagnostic thresholds, and strengthening of iodine nutrition and maternal thyroid health programs are essential to reduce disease burden and improve long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Objectives:Cardiovascular disease(CVD)in low and middle-income countries(LMICs),accounts for over 80％of global CVD-related deaths.The high cost of drugs is a major concern in not of managing CVD.This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive review to identify interventions for cost containment of CVD drugs and use the inter-vention scalability assessment tool(ISAT)to examine the acceptability and application of relevant interventions in the Sri Lankan context,that can also be adaptable to other LMICs.Methods:A systematic search across three databases(Medline,Web of Science and Embase)was completed to identify relevant health system interventions.The ISAT assessed the feasibility of adapting the identified interven-tions to Sri Lanka,using structured interviews with 25 Sri Lankan stakeholders representing five groups:health managers,cardiologists,pharmacists,nursing officers,and patients.Results:The search yielded nine publications.Five were conducted on a national scale,while others were con-ducted at the regional levels.Seven were published in developed countries.The identified interventions were categorised into six intervention themes:Imposing a ceiling price or reference price;introduction of the polypill;introduction of volume price contract initiatives;prescribing generic and essential drugs;one intervention pack-age including generics,essential medicine,90-day drugs,and free delivery;and a second intervention package including discounts,rebates,cost-free medicine,and bundling.Assessment of six intervention themes revealed that methods of setting ceiling prices and controlling generic drug prescribing were the most popular,while other interventions were least popular.Conclusions:The study provides a roadmap for future interventions based on successful scaling,emphasizing the importance of understanding contextual variables and encourages stakeholder participation in policy assessments and advocacy.The findings highlighted the potential for enhancing the access to affordable CVD drugs not only in Sri Lanka,but also adaptable to other LMICs.These outcomes can contribute to policy decisions,aimed at reducing the significant global burden of CVD.

Objectives:Cardiovascular disease(CVD)in low and middle-income countries(LMICs),accounts for over 80％of global CVD-related deaths.The high cost of drugs is a major concern in not of managing CVD.This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive review to identify interventions for cost containment of CVD drugs and use the inter-vention scalability assessment tool(ISAT)to examine the acceptability and application of relevant interventions in the Sri Lankan context,that can also be adaptable to other LMICs.Methods:A systematic search across three databases(Medline,Web of Science and Embase)was completed to identify relevant health system interventions.The ISAT assessed the feasibility of adapting the identified interven-tions to Sri Lanka,using structured interviews with 25 Sri Lankan stakeholders representing five groups:health managers,cardiologists,pharmacists,nursing officers,and patients.Results:The search yielded nine publications.Five were conducted on a national scale,while others were con-ducted at the regional levels.Seven were published in developed countries.The identified interventions were categorised into six intervention themes:Imposing a ceiling price or reference price;introduction of the polypill;introduction of volume price contract initiatives;prescribing generic and essential drugs;one intervention pack-age including generics,essential medicine,90-day drugs,and free delivery;and a second intervention package including discounts,rebates,cost-free medicine,and bundling.Assessment of six intervention themes revealed that methods of setting ceiling prices and controlling generic drug prescribing were the most popular,while other interventions were least popular.Conclusions:The study provides a roadmap for future interventions based on successful scaling,emphasizing the importance of understanding contextual variables and encourages stakeholder participation in policy assessments and advocacy.The findings highlighted the potential for enhancing the access to affordable CVD drugs not only in Sri Lanka,but also adaptable to other LMICs.These outcomes can contribute to policy decisions,aimed at reducing the significant global burden of CVD.