KARACHI: 50pc population at risk of iodine deficiency
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 19: Agreeing that universal salt iodisation (USI) is the fittest line of attack for elimination of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in human beings, public and private functionaries at a ceremony here on Saturday pledged to promote active cooperation among themselves for success of iodine supplementation programmes in the province.
Like in many other countries, almost 50 per cent Pakistan population is at the risk of IDD. Iodised salt consumption in Pakistan is less than 20 per cent as against 100 per cent in some other countries of South East Asia like Bhutan and Nepal, followed by Bangladesh (75 per cent), Sri Lanka (75 per cent), Maldives (66 per cent), India (60 per cent).
Speaking as chief guest at the launching of the provincial IDD/USI project, Sindh Minister for Health Syed Sardar Ahmad described the IDD threat as alarming, stressing that the issue needed to be addressed genuinely at all levels.
He promised that legislation for USI would be made soon to ensure 100 per cent use of iodised salt and ban the non-iodised salt.
He said EDOs health could play an important role in the implementation and execution of relevant laws and rules at grass-root level.
He was critical of many of the federal health initiatives, saying that health was a provincial subject and federal government should minimise its role as far as the functioning of the sector at provincial level was concerned. “Every now and then, provincial health officials are summoned to Islamabad for meetings which don’t prove helpful in resolving health issues, rather result in wastage of time and money.”
Deputy Director General, Health (Nutrition), Zahid Larik suggested phasing out subsidies for salt processing, pointing out that salt producers were provided iodine at lower prices by the government for iodisation of salt but the iodine was sold away to other parties illegally.
Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta of the Aga Khan University said that majority of the rural and urban population did not use iodised salt because it was either expensive or not available in their areas. They also feared adverse effects of its use.
On the basis of the findings of his research survey conducted in Matiari, Khairpur and Bilal Colony (Karachi), he said only 20 per cent of population in Sindh used iodised salt adequately. One major concern appeared to be fake iodised salt as well, he added.
According to Prof Bhutta, 30 per cent of rural and 74 per cent of urban areas told surveyors that they had heard about iodised salt. He also stressed the need for compliance and quality control on the part of the industry, increased advocacy, massive media campaign and consistency in the relevant policy to achieve the desired results in promoting use of iodised salt.
Dr Ayub Rose of the Micronutrient Initiative, Islamabad, said that IDD was one of the major micronutrient problems affecting about 1.65 billion people – 655 million with goiter and 11 million with cretinism – in the world.
According to a survey conducted in 2001-2002, prevalence of goiter among women was 21 per cent and school-age children 6.7 per cent in Pakistan, he said.
He was of the view that the national IDD control programme launched with the assistance of Unicef in 1994 had a limited impact.
Dr Mazhar Alam of Unicef, Sindh, said iodine was an essential element for the functioning of human body and also helped address the problems like mental retardation and brain damage. In Pakistan, about 23 per cent school-age children and 36.5 per cent mothers of small children (less than five years) had severe iodine deficiency, he stated.
Special Secretary (Public Health), Sindh, Dr Abdul Majid said that in Sindh, consumption of iodised salt had decreased due to various reasons, but now the health department had already started working on a comprehensive strategy for reaching all stakeholders.
The ceremony was organised jointly by the Sindh health department and Unicef, Sindh. Dr Asif Aslam of Unicef, Dr Shakeel A. Mullick, Dr Jamaluddin, Dr Nadeem Shaikh and Dr A. D. Sajnani also spoke on the occasion.
