National Iodine Status Survey
Iodine status among non-pregnant women and young children in Tajikistan
Highlights
Iodine is a micronutrient required for biological activities in human body. Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) remain a major health concern. Effects of iodine deficiency include poor birth outcomes, cretinism, goiter, hypothyroidism and retarded physical and mental development. However, women of reproductive age, including pregnant and lactating women, and children younger than 5 years, are particularly at high risk. During foetal and neonatal growth and development, iodine deficiency leads to irreversible damage to the brain and central nervous system.
In Tajikistan, the entire population is prone to IDDs due to a deficiency of iodine in the soil of the country and subsequently the food derived from it. The country has invested in the universal salt iodization programme for decades as a highly effective strategy for preventing and controlling iodine deficiency. Tajikistan adopted a food fortification law in 2019 that requires all edible salt to be adequately iodized.
To determine the current iodine status and identify any disparities by different sociodemographic characteristics, there was a pressing need to conduct a nationwide iodine status survey. The survey was led by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population with technical support of UNICEF and funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The results are intended to contribute to informing decision-makers on progress to combat iodine deficiency in Tajikistan, and shape future interventions in a way that will ensure adequate iodine availability among the Tajik population.
The survey results also provide baseline values for an IDD indicator to measure the progress of the National Development Strategy 2016-2030 as well as its medium-term plan.
