The Ministry of Health, Nutrition Wing, has sent a draft of proposed legislation to the federal cabinet for use of iodized salt in the country to protect the citizens from iodine deficiency disorders.
This was informed by Dr Zareef Khan, project manager, Iodine Deficiency Disorders, Universal Salt Iodization Control Programme in Pakistan during one-day briefing session, jointly organised by Nutrition Wing, Ministry of Health and Unicef here on Thursday.
He said several consultative meetings were held with stakeholders concerned for the preparation of draft for certain legislation and after receiving inputs from all it was finally submitted to the cabinet for approval. He said the health ministry is also planning to request the education ministry to include material on iodine deficiency in the school course as school age children are the most affected from it.
Dr Zareef said efforts are being made for salt iodization in the country from existing 17 to 90 percent by the end of 2010 under the Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Program. He said the program is being implemented in 65 target districts of the country for capacity building of salt processors and health managers for monitoring of iodization process. He said iodine deficiency is becoming major public health problem in the country as about 50 percent of the population is estimated to be at risk of iodine deficiency disorders.
He said the inhabitants of the mountainous areas in the north of the country are most likely to have clinically obvious, goitrous iodine deficiency while the general population is at significant risk for iodine deficiency disorders.
Health Ministry's Nutrition Wing Assistant Director-General Dr Agha Mahboob said under Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Program steps will be taken to control iodine deficiency by 2013 and Universal Salt Iodization by 2010. He said it is not only responsibility of the government to educate people about health issues but every citizen should play due role in this regard for improving the health of the people.
Sheeba Afghani of Unicef said that during current year, major focus would be on high level advocacy at ministerial level and on the demand side the focus would move from household consumers to large institutional consumers to make an immediate dent in the stagnant of Universal Salt Iodization.
She said an action plan would be prepared and implemented for targeting large institutional consumers like hospitals, hotels, large bread-makers, utility stores, PIA, etc. Sheeba Afghani said mass media can play an effective role to create awareness about use of iodized salt in place of normal salt to control iodine disorder deficiency.
She said media persons can educate people about the important public health issues by writing articles and telecasting and broadcasting stories about the harmful effects of iodine deficiency in women and children in particular and population at large in general.
She said Unicef is working closely with the health ministry's nutrition wing and other partners like World Food Programme to devise and support the implementation of a comprehensive strategy for iodine deficiency control in the country.
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