Endemic kids suffering iodine deficiency diseases

The Ministry of Public Health in conjunction with UNICEF has held a two-day national conference, "Prophylactics of iodine deficiency diseases". Officials from parliament, the ministries of public health and education, chief doctors from 58 regional hospitals and epidemics and hygiene centers, and NGOs, spoke of the rampant cases of thyroid gland diseases. Researches illustrate that the cases are reported in 98 to 100% of kids aged between 8 and 14 in endemic zones and 77-85% in non-endemic zones.

Iodine deficiency usually results in mental retardedness, amnesia, miscarriages, infant mortality, etc. The need for preventive measures to wipe out the disease, especially by iodizing salt was underscored

UNICEF spokesman Akif Saatcioglu said that his fund attaches more attention to the problem and "wouldn't retrench for its solution".*