Global Network recognizes Nigeria as iodine-sufficient; first in Africa |
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The recognition was announced by Ayalew Abai, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, who reminded:? "Salt Iodization is the most effective way to protect children from iodine deficiency – the world’s leading cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage."
The achievement caps a long process encouraged by ICCIDD Regional Coordinator Dan Lantum.? Tweny years ago, two-thirds of all Nigerians had goiters; today the goiter rate is 6%.? The salt iodization progam began in 1993.? Full credit is given to the food industry and the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Control for its enforcement efforts that created the "level playing field" and made possible legitimate salt producers' investments in iodizing salt without being undercut in the marketplace by unfortified salt being mislabeled.
The achievement was noted at the Micronutrient Forum in Instanbul (see related story below).
Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has promised strict enforcement of the new mandate for iodized salt. On May 14, NAFDAC warned that it would shut down any salt factory in the country that failed to comply with regulations on salt iodisation and migration from packaging salt in big 25 kilogramme sacks to smaller packs by December 31, 2007.
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