The SCH: Qatar Free of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD)
The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) has recently announced the findings of the Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) National Survey conducted on schools’ students of ages 6-12 years. The findings of the survey showed that the State of Qatar is entirely free of IDD compared with the findings of a similar survey conducted in 1996 which showed that 30% of the overall tested samples experienced IDD.
Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Director of Public Health Department at the SCH, disclosed in a press conference, held at the SCH’s premises on Wednesday 04 March 2015, that disorders caused by iodine deficiency comprise all types of impairments which may develop before birth as iodine deficiency is considered a pregnancy risk factor which may lead to abortion, congenital malformation and fetal and perinatal mortality of the fetus.
Dr. Mohamed explained that iodine deficiency is regarded as the main cause of brain damage and irreversible mental retardation which might be avoided by the intake of sufficient quantities of iodine enriched products such as iodine rich salts, fish and other seafood diet.
The Director of the Public Health Department underlined that IDD are not restricted to a specific area or standard of living. It might prevail anywhere in the world regardless of poverty or richness, however, they could be averted through the intake of an inclusive healthy diet rich in iodine component.
He confirmed that the State of Qatar persistently strives to raise the standards of its citizens’ health and exerts optimal efforts to apply and abide by all the recommendations issued, in this regard, by WHO, pointing out that addition of minimum and maximum levels of iodine in food grade salt (iodinization of salt) is a part of salt specifications used in Qatar in accordance with GCC specifications issued by GCC Standardization Organization in 2007.
Dr Mohamed further confirmed that the aim of the iodine survey we have recently conducted is to assess the progress we have achieved with regard to protecting our citizens against IDD according to the resolutions of the World Summit for Children, , WHO, UNESCO and the Arab League which call for the total elimination of IDD and the chronic concomitant diseases. The survey is, also, conducted in response to GCC Committee, GCC Health Ministers’ Executive Committee decisions on Nutrition for all GCC States to conduct such survey in order to measure the prevalence of IDD and submit relevant reports to the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD) and WHO and update UNESIF and WHO data on the issue.
Dr. Mohamed underlined that the survey which covered 1200 students of ages 6-12 years in March 2014 was conducted in collaboration with the SCH, SCE, and ICCIDD to measure the consumption of salt enriched with iodine, check the consistency of the food grade salt with the international standards and test the concentration of iodine in urine as an indicator of the measurements accredited by the International Organizations, in this regard.
The Director of Public Health, moreover, stated that students’ response for the survey reached 80% whereas the findings showed that Qatar is free of IDD. Consequently, Qatar is now classified among one of the States that Iodine deficiency does not represent a public health concern affirming that efforts shall continue, through periodical monitoring and detection, to maintain a persistent protection against IDD.
Sheikha Dr. Al Anoud Bint Mohammed Al Thani, the Director of Health Promotion and Non-Communicable Disease Department, said that iodine is a micro- metallic component necessary for human diet, growth and body build-up. Its deficiency in the body leads to growth disorders, spoilage of life and may cause certain disabilities. Iodine is an essential component of the hormones produced by the thyroid gland and everybody needs iodine in order to produce the necessary hormones for growth, brain and neurological systems functions and maintenance of body’s temperature and activity.
Dr. Al Anoud explained that the daily need of iodine for natural growth depends on the age. For Example, children below 2 years need 90 mgs./ day while pregnant and breast feeding mothers need approximately 250 mgs/ day. Considering the importance of protection against IDD, International Organizations such as WHO, UNECIF, WFO and ICCIDD pins a special importance on the elimination of IDD symptoms, whereas WHO General Assembly held in 1991 approved the objectives for the disposal of IDD and brand it as a public health concern issue.
She underlined that special Qatari medical cadres were trained and prepared to conduct this survey which aims at securing the relevant necessary data on IDD and the assessment of community perceptions on iodinated salt and the disorders emanating from the deficiency in iodine.
She further revealed that preparations for the survey which covered 1200 students of ages 6-12 years randomly selected from (49) Elementary Independent Schools, started in late 2013 in collaboration with the SCE, and ICCIDD to combat IDD in line with WHO protocols.
The Director of Health Promotion and Non-Communicable Disease Department confirmed that these findings is an evident proof of Qatar free of IDD, however, the intake of salt should be curbed to avoid other chronic diseases such as: hypertension and mortality due to heart failures and strokes.
Dr. Khloud Al Matawa’a, Head of Non-communicable Diseases Section, explained that students’ information have been collected based on a written consent from their parents who have been provided with a sample of the survey questionnaires along with an educative pamphlet on the importance of the intake of iodinated salt. More than 1000 samples of home-used salt have been collected as well as two consecutive days specimens of urine of the participating students.
Dr. Khloud assured that the collected samples have been handled and treated with optimal confidentiality and specimens were sent to internationally accredited laboratories to measure all the necessary indicators including revealing the rate of iodinated salt intake.
Dr. Badrya Al Malki, Head of Intelligence and Health Information, said that the survey findings revealed that the average iodine concentration in salt is 25/1000,000 and that 75% the families of students involved in the survey consume iodinated salt consistent with WHO standards while 12% consume higher iodine concentration of 40/1000,000…i.e. exceeding WHO standards.
She further underlined that survey findings showed that iodine average in the urine of the participants was more than 300micro-grm/L, which outreaches the standards recommended by WHO (100-199 micro-grm/L), whereas the daily salt consumption was over 13 gms/day and this rate, also, exceeds WHO recommended quantities estimated at 5 grms/day.
Dr. Salah Al-Yafie, Head of Health Education Section, said that the upcoming period shall witness the launch of a series of educational and awareness campaigns at the schools to educate the students on public health issues which lead to averting all types of diseases, in general, and how to maintain the current iodine level reflected through the survey.
Dr. Al-Yafie further underlined that the findings of this survey shall obviously help decision makers in developing national strategies for sustainable protection against IDD in Qatar which, in return, bring in considerable health and economic benefits.
Dr. Wlaa Fatah Al-Getigi, supervisor of Chronic Diseases Unit, said that Qatar Nutrition Guidelines Conference to be held in during the period 8-9 April 2015 shall comprise health messages on nutrition, healthy quantities of nutrition and the importance of every type of food and the proper distribution of nutrition in the State of Qatar based on a number of research studies conducted during the past few years.
She further concluded that this conference shall have a significant impact on healthy nutrition awareness trends in Qatar, pointing out that most of the nutrition guidelines currently applied in Qatar are of foreign origin not fully compatible with Qatar community which is characterized by an unmistakable diversity. Hence the development of a special Qatari Nutrition Guidelines becomes a must rather than a wish for this community.
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