The 8th National Nutrition Survey revealed that two provinces in Northern Mindanao are suffering from mild iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) – Bukidnon and Misamis Occidental. This is aggravated by the low household distribution or utilization of iodized salt (22.4 %) and the low iodine content of salt in the region (6.70 ppm - way below the 15 ppm).
These are the trigger factors for the conduct of the Strategizing Workshop for the Regional Bantay Asin Task Force (RBATF) of Northern Mindanao held August 10-11, 2016atthe Chali BeachResort, Cagayan de Oro City. The workshop served as a venue for the Asin Task Force to develop a coordination and monitoring mechanism that will ensure only adequately iodized salt reaches the households. The coordination and monitoring mechanism supports the elimination of IDD in Northern Mindanao as the goal set by the Task Force up to year 2022.
“The RBATF of Northern Mindanao is the first Task Force in the Philippines to define such coordination and monitoring mechanism and set 2017-2022 goal and targets consistent with the national targets”, says Julius Cesar P. Alejandre,National Salt Iodization Program focal person of the National Nutrition Council. During the workshop, he presented the 8th National Nutrition Survey Results on Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) and the status of implementation of Republic Act No. 8172 or the ASIN Law.
The targets for eliminating IDD in the region are: 1) sustain the UIE of 6-12 years children at acceptable levels (>100 ug/L); 2) reduce the proportion of population with <50 ug/L of UIE from 23.6 % in 2013 to <20% in 2022; 3) sustain the proportion of HH salt positive to RTK at 90%; 4) increase the proportion of HH using adequately iodized salt from 22.4% (2013) to 90% (2022).
To ensure achievement of the targets, three Technical Working Groups (TWG) were created: TWG on Promotion and Advocacy to be headed by DOH; TWG on Technical Assistance to be headed by DOST; and TWG on Regulation and Monitoring to be headed by the Food and Drug Administration.
The RBATF of Northern Mindanao was organized in 2014 through the efforts of the National Nutrition Council X and the Department of Health RO X. To collectively address IDD, the RBATF lead the creation of Local Bantay Asin Task Forces in Misamis Occidental, Ozamiz City and Valencia City. Other provinces and cities are set to organize or reactivate their Bantay Asin Task Forces. lsl
