Details
Consultative Meeting with the Private Sector Salt Processors
BNPMC in support with Provincial Fortification Alliance & Nutrition International arranged Consultative Meeting with the Private Sector Salt Processors:
13. Dec.2018
Quetta: Balochistan Nutrition program for mothers and children has conducted Consultative meeting with the private sector salt processor’s /owners at Directorate General Conference hall, event was chaired by Deputy Director Admin DG Health Dr. Naseem Khan Katkazai and Nutrition Program Head Dr. Amin Khan Mandokhail. While talking with the participants Deputy Director Admin DG Health office Dr. Naseem Katkazi said that such informative consultative and sensitization sessions are very important for raising awareness, he said he himself didn’t bothered what he is using in his food at home whether the salt is iodized or not, but from now he will be very conscious in using iodized salt. And appreciated BNPMC and assured directorate level maximum support into the said connection. While talking to the participants Program Coordinator BNPMC Dr. Amin Khan Mandokhail urged all salt processor’s that the acts they are playing in iodizing the salt is appreciable and commendable and gives ovation to their excellent job. He further emphasized in provision of potassium iodate on commercial basis in the futuristic productions as up till when nutrition international withdraws its interventions or limit its functions.
The session was briefed by Deputy director Nutrition Cell Dr. Abid Panizai, he said that, Iodine is essential for healthy brain development in the fetus and young child. Iodine deficiency negatively affects the health of women, as well as economic productivity and quality of life.
Adding more he said that, most people need an additional source of iodine as it is found in relatively small amounts in the diet. Iodization is the process of fortifying salt for human consumption with iodine and is an effective strategy to increase iodine intake at the population level. The public health goals of reducing salt and increasing iodine intake through salt iodization are compatible as the concentration of iodine in salt can be adjusted as needed. Monitoring the levels of iodine in salt and the iodine status of the population are critical for ensuring that the population's needs are met and not exceeded.
All food-grade salt, used in household and food processing should be fortified with iodine as a safe and effective strategy for the prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders in populations living in stable and emergency settings he added, also it has not side effects in usage, but not using repulsion's are serious. Through Nutrition program Balochistan, and its implementing partners he assured his maximum support to the salt processors in providing subsidized potassium iodide.
In the event representatives of salt processors have demanded for proper check and balance to the traders as they are importing salt without iodization into the province, and also said people need to be more sensitized into the said as they still have ambiguities. In the event Nutrition International provincial representative Mr. Allauddin Kakar have disclosed that in the province only eleven salt processors are working that include four each in Quetta and Lorlari, one each at Noshki, Killa-saifullah, Zhob and one international standard in the Hub-chowki Lasbella District but its salt are supplied to Sindh and rest of country. He said the requirement of salt per month in Balochistan is about 2800 metric ton per month and the production is about 150-200 metric ton and the rest of salt comes from other provinces and in the Iranian border people use Iranian salt which is iodized.
The event was facilitated by provincial fortification alliance team that with the collaboration with Nutrition International team along with BNPMC, included in the team Mr. Rehmat Ullah Khan, Mr. Shabir Ahmed Khan, Mr. Faiz Barech.
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