Goiter Awareness Week (GAW) is an annual event in the Philippines observed every fourth week of January by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 1188 on December 11, 2006. With the theme “Goiter Sugpuin, Isip Patalinuhin, Iodized Salt Gamitin”, the campaign aims to disseminate relevant information on the ill effects, prevention, and signs and symptoms of goiter or "bosyo" among Filipinos. It was formed with the Department of Health (DOH) designated as the lead agency. Working with DOH are partners and stakeholders like the Philippine Thyroid Association, Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Iodine Global Network, National Nutrition Council and DOST-FNRI.
Experts believe that prevention and long-term solution of goiter and iodine deficiency can be brought about by information dissemination, education and training, research and preventive measures like the use of iodized salt adopted early enough to forestall frank clinical manifestations and disabilities.
Goiter or “bosyo” is a health condition that involves the enlargement of the thyroid gland. This causes the formation of a lump in the front of the neck. Most goiters produce no symptoms, but when symptoms occur, the following are the most common: tightness in the throat, cough and hoarseness and trouble in swallowing.
Goiter can be caused by a number of different conditions like Iodine deficiency, autoimmune disease (Grave's disease) and hyperthyroidism as well as smoking and hormonal changes. However, iodine deficiency remains the most common cause of goiter in the country. Iodine Deficiency may result to Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) that has different signs and symptoms. Pregnant mothers who lack iodine in their body may experience miscarriage or give birth to a stillborn baby. Adult with iodine deficiency may encounter lethargy, lack of mental alertness, obesity, dry hair and goiter. The 5% prevalence of goiter among schoolchildren and 34.3% prevalence of IDD in pregnant women indicates that there is a problem of iodine deficiency in the country.
The Philippines was once declared as the most goitrous country in Asia and is still classified by the World Health Organization as a nation in transition from being iodine-deficient to iodine sufficient. Yet, the existing body of knowledge on the prevention of goiter and other thyroid disorders requires a sustained information and education of the population. The timely, accurate and documented diagnosis of goiter and other thyroid diseases entails extensive modalities which oftentimes are not even accessible to those who are afflicted especially the poor and the marginalized.
Moreover, the treatment of goiter and other thyroid disorders involves either duration of medicinal administration, or reliable surgical interventions, or capable of nuclear expertise, all of which may be beyond the reach of ordinary patients because of the accumulated costs, inaccessibility, or lack of essential technical skills and expertise of health care providers.
Declaring the last week of January as Goiter Awareness Week is one of the country’s sustainable strategies of addressing IDD problem of the country, heeding the expert’s advice that information dissemination and education can be an extremely powerful and sustainable tool in addressing the existing problem of Iodine Deficiency Disorders among the vulnerable population of the country.
