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Current Iodine Deficiency Disorder Situation
Population
Population: 3.60 million
Population growth rate: -0.25%
Population < 15 years: 18.2%
Birth rate: 10.2 per 1000
Life expectancy at birth: 69.4 years
Infant mortality: 14.3 per 1000
Prevalence of Goiter/ UIE
Median urinary iodine: 75 mcg/L (1995). Median urinary iodine 75 mcg/L (national survey of 2,087 schoolchildren, 1995); other surveys suggest more severe in some places. No data available on goiter. South borders with Poland where TGR has been found to be high ( Bialystok - 31%). No data on neonatal TSH.
20% of newborns have TSH > 5 mIU/L (2001).
Iodized salt Coverage
Household iodized salt use: 6% (2000)
Salt Situation Analysis Production
All salt is imported, mainly from Ukraine , Belarus , and Denmark ; some is repackaged domestically.
Consumption
No data on household iodized salt consumption.
Iodine Procurement and Utilization
Available information from salt producers suggests up to 6% of all traded salt is iodized with KIO3 or KI (1999-2001).
Universal Salt Iodization Program
Information, Education, Communication (IEC) Activities
An April 2000 workshop offered plans, including: further surveys in different population groups; legislation on IDD control and elimination
Legislation
Legislation for iodized salt is pending. Iodized salt is exempt from the 18% value added tax. legislation on IDD control and elimination; elimination of IDD is already part of the Lithuanian Health Program (1997) and iodized salt has been exempted from the Value Added Tax, but the government will probably not adopt legislation on USI
Program Monitoring and Evaluation
Government recognizes iodine deficiency as a problem. IDD control is part of National Food and Nutrition Plan (2001).
Monitoring of iodized salt is conducted on wholesale and retail level, but not regularly.
A urinary iodine laboratory is available, extent of use not known.
Other Interventions
None
Key Lessons Learned
Challenges and Constraints
Future Plans for Sustained IDD Elimination Ministry of Health will promote voluntary use of iodized salt through health education. The National Nutrition Center of the Ministry of Health will monitor the quality of iodized salt and the central laboratory of the National Nutrition Center will measure iodine in salt, other foods, and urine. The main thrust for the next several years will be through education to promote the use of iodized salt, aiming for at least 50% by the end of 2001. Plans for an IDD Month in late 2000 were being developed by the National Nutrition Center . Follow-up of these plans and targets from 2000 are needed.
Sources:
IDD NL 18(3):37, 2002
IDD NL 16(4):53, 2000
IDD NL 13(1):4, 1997
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