Citizens want expeditious legislation for salt iodisation

Islamabad
Legislation for universal salt iodisation is a key action required to combat iodine deficiency.
This demand was articulated by a couple of hundreds of citizens who gathered in front of the Press Club here on Sunday afternoon in connection with an event organised to mark the International Consumer Rights Day which is celebrated globally on March 15 every year.
The theme of this year’s WCRD is ‘Healthy Eating’. Pakistan is a signatory to the plan of action of World Summit on Children 1990 that agreed to overcome iodine deficiency from the world by 2010. However, due to lack of attention to the issue, nearly 50 million people in Pakistan are today suffering from iodine deficiency while over 50 per cent of the total population in the country is at risk of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDDs).
The event called ‘The Picket,’ was organised by TheNetwork for Consumer Protection with support from UNICEF was held to demand legislation at the federal level for the control of IDDs.
Pakistani public including noted celebrities braved the rainy weather and stood with posters, banners, placards and Pakistani flags in their hands, drawing the attention of the stakeholders on the importance of iodized salt in daily routines of all. They urged the government to move early legislation around this important consumer issue. “A simple decision from the government can protect girls, women and children from so many health complications,” they maintained.
Omar Khalid said, “Events like these are extremely important in creating public about the importance of iodine in salt.” Tauseeq Haider said one only needs a teaspoonful for life, or 150 micrograms of iodine daily which costs less than Rs100. Yet over half of Pakistan’s population is thought to be at risk of developing IDDs, particularly pregnant mothers and children. Areeb Azhar stated, “It’s important that we spread awareness about the food that we eat because the basic right of each human is the right to pure and healthy food. In this regards it’s important that the state of Pakistan legislates the iodization of consumer salt to counter all IDDs that are prevalent in our country.” Irfan Ahmed Urfi urged the media to focus on issues that relate to everyday life for the betterment of every Pakistani.
Dr. Farah Mufty, a prominent medical practitioner, quoted the National Nutrition Survey 2011, saying that reported use of iodized salt for cooking purposes was 39.8 per cent across Pakistan whereas only 64.2 per cent mothers showed awareness about iodised salt.” Statistics indicate that IDD also stands in our way of achieving MDGs 1, 2, 4 and 5. She added “A large number of children are born mentally deficient every year due to IDD among pregnant women.”
The executive coordinator of TheNetwork, Nadeem Iqbal, stressed that the proposed law of making iodisation of edible salt mandatory would help ensure that every household is using iodised salt. Legislation for universal salt iodisation is a unique issue and should not fall victim to the post-devolution controversy, as has been the fate of the health sector, he stressed. “It should rather, deservedly, be treated as a multi-sectoral issue involving both federal and provincial governments. The IDD Control Act is the way forward,” Nadeem remarked.