9 October 2007
Lagos — Impressed by Nigeria's enviable success in the fight against Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) through Universal Salt Iodization (USI) programme, the UNICEF Regional Office and Academy of Medical Science in Ukraine, have invited Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Dora Akunyili, to share her experience and strategies with top health policy makers, parliamentarians, academics and captains of industry in the former Soviet Republic.
At a three-day international conference on bio-ethical medicines which begun yesterday and will end on Thursday, Akunyili showcased Nigeria as the first African nation to achieve USI through government's political commitment, multi-sectoral collaboration between NAFDAC, UNICEF, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Micro-nutrient Initiative, Salt Manufacturers, media and other stakeholders.
In a 20-page presentation laced with statistical data, Akunyili said Nigeria has a lot to teach Ukraine and other less successful countries, having recorded 98 per cent household access to adequately iodized salt since 1998 and reduction of goitre rate from 20 per cent in 1993 to six per cent in 2007.
She identified NAFDAC's national network of decentralized monitoring system, efficient ultra-modern analytical laboratory, sanitized salt market, strict inspection and enforcement of USI laws, generic multi-channel communication campaigns to promote USI on billboards, newspapers, TVs and radios as some of the factors responsible for Nigeria 's success.
According to her, the Agency recently banned salt produced in 25kg sacks and gave the Industry till December 2007 to mandatorily pack salt in small retail sizes (1kg) to enhance retention of iodine.
To sustain Nigeria's enviable USI status, she pinpointed, Institutionalized monitoring of salt iodine levels, annual goitre prevalence and Urinary Iodine Excretion Surveys, social marketing of iodized salts in local salt producing communities, Advocacy visits and regular assessment of volume of local production distribution and consumption of iodized salt.
With a dismal 17% household access to iodized salt in Ukraine, Prof. Akunyili said the country can do better on USI implementation by adopting the aforementioned strategies and institutionalizing at various levels of government, adequate monitoring and quality control of iodized salt production, marketing and consumption.
Earlier, the UNICEF Project Officer on Nutrition in Ukraine, Dr. Ludmila Ivanova commended the efforts of NAFDAC, the commitment of Government and salt producing companies towards Nigeria 's USI certification in 2005.
Dr. Ivanova said the international community was deeply impressed with Prof. Akunyili's presentation at this year's Micronutrient Forum in Turkey and the great progress made by Nigeria in elimination of IDD.
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