The Hindu : Front Page : Salt-testing campaign in schools pinpoints iodine deficiency

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 04, 2005

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Front Page

Salt-testing campaign in schools pinpoints iodine deficiency

P. Sudhakar

Only 54 per cent of samples brought by students fulfilled requirement

TIRUNELVELI: A salt-testing campaign held in schools of the State to estimate iodine percentage (15 parts per million) has revealed that only 54 per cent of samples brought by students contained sufficient iodine.

This is despite a combined campaign carried out by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the District Rural Development Agencies.

Around 50 per cent of the 26 million children in the country are unprotected against iodine deficient disorders (IDD).

According to an earlier survey, the percentage of household consumption of iodised salt in the State was just 18. However, the data collected through last year's campaign was encouraging and showed an increase.

Since a lot was to be done to meet the global goals, the Government launched a campaign on Oct. 21 to ensure that more than 90 per cent of households consume iodised salt. A major feature of the programme is the school salt-testing campaign that began on October 24.

The DRDA and the Total Sanitation Campaign coordinators are playing an active role in the drive. After displaying posters on IDD and information on salt testing, the schools choose a convenient date for the test. The class teacher or the headmaster explains the different aspects of IDD and the importance of consuming iodised salt. On the `Salt Testing Day,' all students bring a teaspoonful of salt used in their homes. Besides explaining the results, the heads of the institution will forward the outcome of the campaign to district authorities for appropriate action.

In the first phase of the salt-testing campaign held between November 2004 and February 2005, over 40 lakh students and 90,000 teachers from 25,000 schools were involved. Of the 1,28,849 salt samples brought by students in Tirunelveli district, 1,22,126 samples were tested and only 54 per cent of them contained 15 ppm of iodine.

A whopping 84 per cent of the samples tested in Kanyakumari during the campaign contained adequate quantity of iodine. Dharmapuri was at the bottom of the list with just 20 per cent, according to a UNICEF publication.

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