The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Survey on iodine deficiency illnesses

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Wednesday, Oct 29, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Survey on iodine deficiency illnesses

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: A district-level committee has been formed to take up a survey on iodine deficiency diseases, as part of a Government programme in public healthcare.

As part of the programme, seminars on iodine deficiency diseases have started and primary health centres have been asked to notify cases of such diseases.

To make the survey efficient, training will be given to a number of health professionals under the district health authorities. Only trained personnel will be able to identify diseases of iodine deficiency, said K. T. Ramani, District Medical Officer.

Health programme

The programme will focus on the population in the hilly terrain as those living near the sea coast are considered iodine sufficient, she said.

According to endocrinologist Dr. A. G. Unnikrishnan, though the emphasis on iodine deficiency is more in northern parts of the country, it is good to have a public health programme on iodine deficiency that will prevent even 1 per cent of diseases like cretinism that is characterised by mental retardation.

The population in Kochi is more affected by thyroid-related diseases, of which hypothyroidism is most common, he said.

This was a result of a study by Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences that was done involving 3,000 people about three years ago.

It is not iodine deficiency but an auto immune system that is more common cause of hypothyroidism.

This stands true for all such cases world over, he added.

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