• Immediate intervention to minimize Iodine deficiency with a long term objective
  of its complete eradication.
•  Intervene in the rehabilitation of the Infrastructure related to Salt Iodations.
• Re- rationalizes current iodation practices in Sri Lanka.

• It is a well known fact that Iodine deficiency while being very easy and inexpensive to prevent, is also one of the most debilitating influences on human life if not prevented. It leads to Goiter problems, Thyroid deficiency, and eventually even mental retardation if encountered during fetal life or early childhood.
  
• In a recent study (2001) on the prevalence of Goiter in Sri Lanka covering a sample of 6733 school children, the overall Goiter prevalence was 20.9%
  (Reference: Iodine Deficiency Status of Children in Sri Lanka-2000-2001, Medical Research Institute)

• Salt being a coastal product, suffered great damage to it’s production Infrastructure on account of the tsunami disaster. The Sri Lanka’s major Saltern at HAMBANTHOTA suffered the greatest damage to it is pumping stations, flood protection peripheral bunds, etc.
  
• Also as a result of tsunami, the family based community infrastructures previously engaged in salt iodation were totally devastated. These families are today homeless and are without the iodation implements.
  
• Machinery donated by UNICEF to Lanka Salt Ltd, some years back, is not functioning at it’s maximum capacity due to lack of maintenance and obsolescence
  

Legislation and Social Interventions

It is with this objective in mind to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders that the decision to implement a universal iodisation programme was made in 1995, on the basis of reported studies that indicated iodine deficiency as an important problem in Sri Lanka.
The relevant legislation was adopted in 1995 under the Food Act, 26 of 1980.

UNICEF assisted salt producers by providing advocacy, washing plants, iodizing plants and kits.

Under the Ministry of Policy Planning a committee functioned to resolve salt iodisation issues.In the absence of a proper (adequate) monitoring mechanism the expected results of salt iodisation was not forthcoming.

A National Coordinating Committee for salt iodisation was formed by the Government of Sri Lanka in July 2002.

The committee comprises stakeholders such as Ministry of Health, Food Analyst, MRI, Consumer Affairs Authority, Authorized officers, UNICEF and salt producers.

Iodation by Individual families as a Cottage Industry
 
1.   No established standards
2.   No Uniformity in standards between various households
3.   Primitive methods of Iodation
4.  No external Supervision or Monitoring of Standards or process
5.   Lack of Social Responsibility for the Product

“ The wide variation in the iodine content in the salt samples indicates the need for improving the quality of salt Iodisation and the need for regular monitoring of the process of Iodisation and the monitoring at the level of manufacture at retail level” (Reference: Iodine Deficiency Status of Children in Sri Lanka-2000-2001, Medical Research Institute)
 
The National Coordinating Committee for salt iodisation has been unable to identify the constraints faced by salt manufacturers on iodisation formed.
 
Therefore quality assurance could not be achieved.
 
Therefore there is no proper regulatory authority for monitoring purposes.
 
Desired target for salt iodisation in Sri Lanka cannot be achieved mainly due to the prevailing drawbacks.

A comprehensive proposal in this regard was submitted to the ICCIDD New Delhi Regional office in February 2005.

To overcome the above situation, it has been proposed :
 
To provide technical assistance to two main salt producers to increase the capacity of iodised salt production.
 
Develop a situation for the two main salt producers to supply bulk iodised salt at reasonable price levels to cottage industries, thereby preventing the supply of common salt to them for iodation .

Cottage industry individuals will continue their packeting and selling process. As such, their livelihoods will not affected.

Micronutrient Initiative ( M.I.) Asia Office Regional Director, Mr. Luc Laviolette and Ms. Saraswathi Bulusu, Program Manager visited Sri Lanka and held discussions with the relevant authorities regarding the project proposal submitted by National Coordinating Office of ICCIDD in Sri Lanka.
They met the Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, and discussed at length the critical issues faced by the industry.

Dr. Rukshana Haider, Regional Advisor, WHO, also visited Sri Lanka and discussed with the authorities and the salt producers the salt iodisation issues.

We have now received a positive response from M.I.
M.I. has pledged to provide the following assistance through National Coordinating Office of ICCIDD in Sri Lanka

• Initiate reconstruction work to ensure the industry is fully restored.
• Installation of modern salt washing and iodizing plants at Lanka Salt Ltd and
• Puttalam Salt Ltd.
• Construction of warehouse for proper storage
• A country- wide social marketing campaign for demand creation to increase iodised
• salt consumption.
• Creation of a monitoring system for assuring quality iodised salt at both production
• and consumption levels.
• Program Manager for IDD in Asia, Mr. Satyapal Jayapal, was in Sri Lanka, during September 04- 07, 2005, and visited Sri Lanka Salt and Puttalam Salt Salterns on an assessment study.
• He was able to assess how the cottage industries did their iodizing and packeting procedures.
• ICCIDD representatives and MI’s Program Manager are now in the process of implementing the proposed project.
  
  

• It is very encouraging to note that the Government too, has promulgated enabling Legislation to ensure that this Social responsibility is not only implemented but also sustained for the benefit of the Nation.
• Accordingly we note the following:
• The Government of Sri Lanka has enacted new regulation by the gazette date August 11, 2005, which will come into come into operation on 31st December 2005.
  

• Some of the important regulations include
• Iodine content of salt, on dry basis, shall not be less than 15mg / kg of the salt and not more than 30mg / kg of the salt.
• The iodized edible common salt shall be packed in transparent containers. Where the packing material is polythene, the thickness of such material shall not be less than 75 mm.
• A new application form for a permit to purchase/ import / transport common salt for
  industrial purposes
• Labeling and advertising
• The National Committee hopes to play an active role once the new legislations are enforced.
• Medical Research Institute is in the process of complying a report on Monitoring and Surveillance of IDD Control Program.
• UNICEF will continue to provide assistance for advocacy for salt iodisation programmes.
• The National Committee has invited ICCIDD’s representative to be included as a member.
• The National Committee shall arrange meetings for the small producers, cottage industrialists
• To discuss and highlight issues regarding quality etc.
• ICCIDD office in Sri Lanka will play an active role and will explain to the cottage industrialists the initiatives taken with M.I., for the salt producers to supply bulk iodised salt to them.
• To encourage them to buy from the main salt producers Bulk Iodised salt instead of Common salt.
• To insist on the importance of the packaging specifications and other regulatory issues.
• To assure them that these steps would ensure the continuity of their livelihood and the industry.