Half of the salt on the market not iodised; UNICEF/GAIN to the rescue

Elmina, Feb.26, GNA - Mr Emmanuel Paa-Nii Quaye, an associate programmes officer of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, (GAIN) Africa, expressed concern, on Thursday, that about 50% of salt on the Ghanaian market is not iodated, 16 years after the introduction of iodized salt in the country.

According to him, only about 30% of iodized salt on the market have the requisite iodine supplementation needed for the prevention of iodine related deficiency problems such as low Quotient Intelligence (IQ), still births, low birth weight and goitre. Speaking in an interview with the media, after a workshop to educate salt producers on a project to ensure quality production of iodized salt, Mr Quaye said the country was not making any headway in ensuring that all salt produced was well iodized. He said this was because a large number of salt producers along the coast lacked the skills and the technical know-how of producing the iodized salt.

Mr Quaye said UNICEF and GAIN had, therefore, collaborated to ensure proper quality control of salt production so a salt bank had been built at Nyanyano to purchase salt from all producers in the town and its catchments areas for proper processing and packaging. He indicated that similar salt banks would be set up at Elmina by the next salt season for the same purpose, stating that this was also to ensure the uniformity and proper iodine supplementation in salt production. Mr Quaye said the salt bank would be managed by the salt producers association who would receive technical training and loans from the two organizations until it becomes well established. He urged the public to demand standardized iodized salt at all times to ensure that the right thing was done. 26 Feb. 10