UNICEF is running a workshop on monitoring and evaluation of flour fortification and salt iodizationAshgabat, Turkmenistan, 18 October, 2005 – On 17-19 October, 2005 the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, jointly with the Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Health and Medical Industry and with the support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is organizing a three day workshop on a country-level monitoring and evaluation of salt iodization and flour fortification. The workshop aims at putting in place a monitoring system for all flour produced in Turkmenistan, which has been fortified with iron and folic acid and for all adequately iodized salt. It further aims at strengthening the on-going monitoring and evaluation system for iodized salt and to review the monitoring system for iron fortified flour to include folic acid and other micronutrients in the fortification premix. Participants to the workshop were drawn from almost all flour mills in the country, the salt industry in Guvlyduz, the sanitary epidemiological stations, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, Ministry of Trade, Bread Association “Gallaonumleri” and joint-stock company “Turkmendokum”. Participants to the workshop have expressed great optimism in their ability to address the problem of micronutrient deficiencies in the country through regular monitoring of the flour mills and the salt industry. They are convinced that with the government’s support iron deficiency anaemia, iodine deficiency disorders, and other mineral and vitamin deficiencies will soon become a story of the past. “We have been successfully working with UNICEF since 1994 when the Presidential decree on flour fortification and salt iodization was issued. Jointly we were able to set quality control systems for monitoring of salt iodization and we also have been extensively working to strengthen monitoring and quality assurance systems for flour fortification. This workshop let us propose a plan of action to promote the sustainability of monitoring to reduce iodine deficiency in Turkmenistan,” said Mr. Annamurat Orazov, Deputy Head of the Sanitary Epidemiological Service of Turkmenistan. The Government of Turkmenistan attained a very significant milestone in 2004 by reaching the goal for the elimination of iodine deficiency disorders. The attainment of this goal meant that 100 per cent of the households in Turkmenistan had access to adequately iodized salt. It is generally believed, following that singular achievement in 2004, that Turkmenistan had the potential for equally achieving the fortification of all flour produced in the country with iron, folic acid, and other vitamins. “Adding folic acid in flour to reduce birth defects and provide additional health benefits for population has now become a standard practice in over 50 countries, since it has proven so effective. Turkmenistan is also considering expanding fortification to all flour mills to include premium as well as the first grade flour it is currently fortifying. Turkmenistan is a leader in the region in effectively fortifying most of the flour and bread consumed and can show even greater leadership with the proposed expansion,” said Mr. Peter Ranum, international consultant on flour fortification. “The Government of Turkmenistan is making the wisest investment in embarking on the intervention to eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies through flour fortification and salt iodization. It is an investment that would guarantee the survival of Turkmenistan children that are yet unborn,” said Mr. John Egbuta, UNICEF Regional Project Officer for Micronutrients Deficiency Control. The workshop took place with the full cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and proved to be another constructive outcome of the joint collaboration between the Government of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Children’s Fund. UNICEF remains committed to working with the government to help fulfil its national priorities and international obligations covering children’s rights. For more information, please contact Ms. Gulyalek Soltanova, UNICEF Communication Officer, at:
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