Five countries in the Eastern, Central and Southern African region are facing an iodine deficiency challenge.
This is according to Iodine Global Network (IGN) Coordinator for Eastern and Southern Africa region Professor Festo Kavishe.
Speaking in Mombasa on Tuesday during the Regional Consultation on Sustainable Food Fortification for Prevention and Control of Micronutrient Deficiencies in Eastern and Southern Africa, Prof. Kavishe said lack of iodine was a cause of brain damage in newborns.
“Iodine deficiency is the world’s most preventable cause of brain damage and has long been endemic in all countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. Folate deficiencies are known to cause Spina Bifida and other neural tube defects” said Prof. Kavishe.
He said the Regional Consultation event goal was to foster collaboration, share best practices, and agree on evidence-based strategic road map aimed at eliminating micronutrient deficiencies in Eastern and Southern Africa by scaling up large-scale Food Fortification.
“Food Fortification is one component of an overall strategy to prevent micronutrient deficiencies, including promoting the consumption of diversified diets, micronutrient supplementation and Universal Salt Iodization (USI) for the prevention of Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD),” said the Professor.
Also at the forum was Raymond Chikomba, Senior Nutrition Specialist at the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Chikomba said, in SADC member countries, anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age ranged between 21% to 54%
“According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a prevalence of 20% and above is considered a public health concern, with 40% or above being referred to as a severe health concern,” said Chikomba.
The World Health Assembly Resolution adopted food fortification as an effective and sustainable micronutrients to at-risk populations.
“SADC and the East, Central and Southern African Health Community (ECSA-HC) member states have adopted food fortification as a key strategy to address micronutrient inadequacies, such as adding iron and folic acid to staple foods to increase consumption of iron and folate,” said Chikomba.
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