The National Hospital of Endocrinology has released a warning that the nation is in danger of relapsing into iodine deficiency after years of successfully eliminating the phenomena.

Photo: Internet

Its Director Nguyen Van Tien told a meeting in Hanoi on November 2 that a survey conducted by the hospital in 2009 showed that the use of standard iodine-added salt fell to 70 percent just four years after the nation declared the elimination of iodine deficiency in 2005.

Vietnam has undertaken a national campaign for the daily use of iodine-fortified salt, as the most effective and cheapest measure to prevent iodine deficiency- related disorders such as goitre and miscarriage, Tien said.

With the danger of the re-emergence of iodine deficiency cases, the nation has taken measures to encourage people to buy and use iodine salt, including the meeting held by the National Hospital of Endocrinology to respond to the National Day of Iodine Salt for All.

Tien added that his hospital is taking measures to increase the cover of standard iodine salt to at least 90 percent while tightening supervision of iodine salt quality in both workplace and households.

He pledged sufficient supply of iodine products as raw material for production establishments to meet customer demand.

Source: VNS