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Chess whizz Anatoly Karpov helps launch campaign against iodine deficiency

NEW YORK, 8 May 2002 - Chess champion Anatoly Karpov today helped launch the Network for the Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency, which aims to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders around the world by the year 2005. The network, a partnership of UN agencies and public and private organizations, was announced at 'A Smart Start for Children', a supporting event of the UN Special Session on Children.

Iodine deficiency is a global health problem affecting the growth and development of millions of children. In early childhood, such a deficiency can impair speech, hearing, motor development and physical growth. In both adults and children chronic iodine deficiency causes goitre (a swelling of the thyroid gland) and is associated with cretinism, a congenital condition characterized by dwarfed stature, mental retardation, bone development problems, and metabolic abnormalities.

Iodine deficiency is the single most important cause of brain damage and mental retardation in the world and can lower the average intelligence quotient of a population by as much as 10 to 15 points. Not only can iodine deficiency have tragic results for each child who suffers from it, but by diminishing mental and physical capacities of children and adults it undermines economic progress for society as a whole.

There is, however, a very simple, effective and economical way to get iodine to populations in need - adding it to salt, a substance used throughout the world. Salt has been routinely iodized in much of the industrialized world since the early 20th century.

In 1990, when national leaders convened at the World Summit for Children and pledged to virtually eliminate iodine deficiency disorders by the year 2000, only about one in five households worldwide used iodized salt. Tremendous progress has since been made and iodized salt now reaches seventy per cent of households in developing countries, according to UN estimates.

However, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health Organization, and other senior officials underscored that far more needs to be done. Eveline Herfkens, Minister for Development Cooperation in the Netherlands, said, "We need to tackle some practical problems to get the last thirty per cent."

The network has been formed precisely to tackle those problems. "We want to ensure that all salt, everywhere, is iodized forever," said Floris A. Bierman, President of Akzo Nobel Salt, who is representing European salt producers.

The new partnership includes UNICEF, the Micronutrient Initiative, the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, Kiwanis International, World Health Organization, European Salt Producers' Association, Salt Institute, China Salt Industry Association, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University School of Public Health.

Mr. Karpov, who is UNICEF regional ambassador for Central and Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Baltic States, takes a special interest in IDD. "You don't have to be a world class chess champion to know that it takes brainpower to win," he said. He now plans to recruit young chess clubs in the region to help with the cause. "Who better than chess wizards to launch this effort?" he asked.

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