STA. FE, Nueva Vizcaya -- Four Iodized checkers and corresponding reagents were set to be given to various checkpoints in Cagayan Valley region as part of the intensified monitoring and implementation of the Iodized Salt Program.

Rhodora G. Maestre, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator of Cagayan Valley said that four WYD iodine checkers have been given by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) - Philippines including the reagents which will be used by the members of the Iodized Salt Program checkpoint personnel to ensure the entry of iodized salt supply in the region.

“These WYD Iodine checkers will be distributed in various checkpoints such as in Sta. Praxedes town in Cagayan province, Sta. Maria town in Isabela province, and Kayapa and Sta. Fe town in Nueva Vizcaya province,” Maestre said during the recent consultative meeting on Salt Iodization monitoring partnership here.

She said that the intensified monitoring on the entry of iodized salt in the region will be one of the major activities that the nutrition councils in the regional, provincial, and municipal levels, intends to focus this year using the WYD iodine checkers to ensure the 100 percent compliance of salt suppliers with the standard iodine content of salt products.

Maestre said that while nutrition workers have successfully saturated various public markets in Cagayan Valley with iodized salt products through information campaign and advocacy activities, further checking the iodine-content of supplies transported by dealers must be done to further improve the overall efforts on nutrition development.

“Though we have already strict compliance on the Iodized Salt Program, we should now focus on the proper iodine content –compliance of our suppliers so that we can further improve our nutrition program in the region,” she said. (BME/PIA 2-Nueva Vizcaya)