National Coalition For Sustained Iodine Launched In Delhi

EHM New Bureau

In order to increase the number of Indians who consume appropriate amount of iodine and prevent iodine deficiency disorders including severe brain damage, goiter, cretinism etc, a coalition titled National Coalition for Sustained Iodine intake was launched in the Capital recently. A multi-sector body, the coalition's role would be to ensure sustained adequate iodine intake by the population through salt iodisation. The coalition hopes to achieve this by monitoring the iodine status of the population, monitoring the implementation of rules, providing information and advising the relevant institutions and sectors.

The national coalition is not an implementing institution, but an advisory body to the government to accelerate progress toward IDD elimination, a public health problem with tremendous negative impact on learning ability and work productivity. Members of the Coalition are representatives from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Education, DWCD, Salt producers and traders, civil society consumer organisations, media and scientific community.

"A national coalition is very important in each country to ensure complete iodisation," said Prof David Haxton, executive director, ICCIDD (International Council for Council of Iodine Deficiency Disorders). Many countries tackle this deficiency through the iodisation of salt. India has re-instated a law on the mandatory iodisation of salt and has become one of the many countries across the Americas (Argentine, Peru), Africa, Europe and Asia where similar laws are in place.

A country-wise study, conducted by the UNICEF, has revealed that an estimated 93 per cent households consumed iodised salt in China, 48 per cent in Myanmar while neighbouring Bangladesh and Nepal fared much better at 70 and 63 per cent respectively. In India, of the 312 districts surveyed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 254 were found to be endemic for iodine deficiency.