51pc households under iodine coverage: Survey

Although the consumption of iodized salt increased more than four times in the country by 2006 in comparison to that of 1993, the present rate of consumption is not satisfactory.
This was stated by the experts at the inaugural session of a workshop at Sonargaon Hotel in the city yesterday.
The workshop was organised by Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) under its Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (CIDD) Project in association with the USAID and the Unicef.
At the workshop, Prof Harun KM Yusuf of biochemistry and human nutrition department of Dhaka University and Principal Investigator of National IDD/USAID Survey in Bangladesh 2004-05 presented the findings of the study.
He said adequate iodine coverage in households in the whole country is only 51 percent.
“We will have to cover 90 percent of household in adequate iodized salt consumption to meet millennium development goal by 2015 which is a great challenge before us,” he added.
According to the survey, goiter prevalence among the children and women has reduced below 10 percent from 47 percent within 10 years while physiological iodine deficiency is still a public health problem affecting one-third of the population. Rural areas, particularly the northern districts have considerably poorer iodine status than urban areas, the survey added.
Mahbub Jamil, special assistant to the chief adviser for industry ministry, was present at the workshop as chief guest. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to face the challenge of reaching adequate iodized salt to all people of the country by 2010.
He also called for cooperation from all the stakeholders in this respect.
Later the chief guest unveiled the cover of IDD-USAID Survey Report 2004-05.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary to industry ministry Sheikh Enayetullah said despite huge campaign there is a dearth of iodine salt in the markets.
He urged the owners of salt industries to be responsive in this respect.
Secretary to health and family welfare ministry AMM Nasir Uddin said the advocacy programme should be taken to grassroots level to meet the challenge of iodine deficiency.
The government alone cannot attain this objective, he added.
Director of Population, Health and Nutrition Programme of USAID Lois Bradshaw assured that her organisation would continue its support to the government to reach its goal to meet iodine deficiency.
BSCIC Chairman Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, who chaired the session, expressed his hope that the government and donor organisations would be successful in facing the challenges in this respect.
Unicef Nutrition Manager Josephine Iziku Ippe, Director of the Institute of Public Health and Nutrition and Line Director Dr Fatima Parveen Chowdhury, Deputy Representative of Unicef Iyorlumun Uhaa, and CIDD Project Director of BSCIC AKM Mustafizur Rahman also spoke at the inaugural session.