Domestic and international experts converged in Beijing on Monday for a seminar on combating iodine deficiency and recent progress in this fight. The meeting gathered officials from China's Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Network for the Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency and academics, all combining to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in China.

Iodine deficiency affects many regions where natural sources of dietary iodine are lacking and is thought to affect as many as 740 million people in 130 countries. Iodine is crucial to an individual's healthy growth and development, and any deficiency during pregnancy and early childhood may result in forms of mental retardation known as cretinism. It is commonplace in many parts of China where iodine deficiency often causes swelling of the thyroid gland at the front of the neck, also called a Goiter.

An effective solution to iodine deficiency would be introducing compulsory and universal iodization of any salt intended for domestic consumption. China has been a leader in this field, bringing the number of households ingesting iodized salt up from around 40 percent in 1995 to 90 percent in 2005. The Network Board acknowledged this achievement at the meeting, presenting the MOH and the NDRC with plaques lauding their accomplishments.

However, certain western and coastal provinces are still in trouble, with over 130 million Chinese still exposed to iodine deficiency. New cases of cretinism were identified in 2006 in areas where iodized salt consumption remains low. UNICEF Representative in China Dr Yin Yin Nwe said of the situation: "We met to discuss solutions to the problems certain provinces have in reducing the risk of iodine deficiency. Although China's achievements in raising levels of consumption of iodized salt are outstanding, many people here are still consuming uniodized salt."

Some communities simply cannot afford to pay for the refined and packaged iodized salt, and prefer to consume traditional local salt. Experts are moving to allow further alternatives to give these communities access to adequate sources of iodine, such as creating subsidies to bring down prices of packaged iodized salt, strategies to extend the iodization of locally produced traditional salt or the use of iodized oil capsules, although the latter would be an interim measure at best.

The Chairperson of the Network Board and UNICEF Director of Programs, Mr Alan Court, waxed confident after the meeting: "The attendance of the Vice Health Minister and the overall quality of debate here show the high priority with which the Chinese government is tackling this issue. Whilst ultimately we all agree that universal consumption of iodized salt is the best way to avoid iodine deficiency, we know from long experience that some countries take a long time to achieve this. The meeting today imbues me with the hope that those Chinese citizens still at risk of iodine deficiency will see rapid benefits from the options and ideas discussed, stemming from the government's determination to eradicate this problem."

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Huang Shan, July 30, 2007)