|
We are here today to promote one of the most
effective preventive health interventions that exist.
Iodine deficiency has terrible consequences. It is
the main single cause of preventable brain damage in childhood.
At least 50 million people are affected by some
degree of IDD-related brain damage. Every year
40 million children are born in households that do
not use iodized salt. The highest numbers are in Asia and Africa.
Iodine deficiency is found in 134 countries, where
it affects 740 million people. Over 2 billion people are exposed to
the risk of IDD.
And yet, by adding iodine to salt, we have found a
safe, cheap and sustainable way of eliminating the problem.
Universal salt iodization was adopted as the main
strategy to eliminate by WHA in 1992. Since then, thanks to effective
collaboration among many players from the public and private sectors,
remarkable progress has been made in providing iodized salt to
affected populations. Iodized salt now reaches nearly 70% of the
households in affected countries.
It sounds so easy. But past experience has shown
that salt iodization programmes require a coordinated action by all
sectors involved, public and private, including salt producers.
To reach the remaining 30% of the populations in
the affected countries, we are facing a number of challenges.
Around 30 countries still lag behind due to
political instability and poverty. We need to strengthen our support
and adjust our strategy to these countries’ specific conditions.
We must focus on pregnant women in iodine-deficient
areas and make sure they all have access to iodized salt. Preventing
brain damage during fetal life must be our first priority in fighting
iodine deficiency.
Salt iodization programmes should provide all
populations adequately iodized salt. This means that the quality of
iodized salt is continually controlled and its impact on population
iodine status regularly checked. This is a major challenge since many
countries lack the required laboratory infrastructure. Support to
countries to strengthen their laboratory capacity is key to
establishing a fully operational surveillance system.
We must ensure the long-term sustainability of salt
iodization programmes. The growing evidence that iodine deficiency is,
in fact, reappearing in some countries where it was thought to have
been eliminated should give serious reason for concern. It only
underscores the urgent need for action to sustain existing programmes.
Two years ago, the main partners involved in IDD
elimination took the initiative to formalise their collaboration and
form a coalition of public, private, international and civic
organizations - the network for Sustained Elimination of IDD - to
better collaborate and therefore accelerate global progress towards
IDD elimination
This network is made up of representatives from
International organizations, bilateral agencies, salt producer's
associations, international non-governmental organizations, research
institutions, civil associations, professional bodies and private
foundations
I would like to congratulate the partners: UNICEF,
ICCIDD, CDC/Atlanta, Emory University, the Micronutrient Initiative,
Salt Producer Associations and Kiwanis International for having set up
this important network. In doing so, you have shown the kind of
commitment we need to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders.
This is an attainable goal - the technology
is available and affordable - provided that we join forces. The
Network has the potential to help governments meet this goal.
Thank you.
|
