Fortification for Iodine Deficiency Elimination salt iodization programme

• Main Authors: De Rosales, Mary Anne R., Esguerra, Emellisa P., Joaquin, Aileen Concepcion C., Tiu, Racquel C.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1995
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/16880
• Institution: De La Salle University

Iodine deficiency is a major global health concern because its adverse, long-term consequences affect not only the mental and physical well being of an individual but the productivity of the whole nation as well. International agencies have bonded together to come up with programs that seek to address this situation in order to curb the negative effects. One of these is the Salt Iodization Programme, a worldwide program, that advocates the iodization of food grade salt and the consumption of iodized salt in order to eliminate iodine deficiency disorders. In the Philippines, there is still a generally low level of complete understanding of the consequences of iodine deficiency. Many Filipinos believe that goiter is the only effect of a lack in iodine. For this reason, iodine intake has been overlooked. There is a high awareness of iodized salt, but the understanding of its uses and the benefits derived from it is low. In addition, its price, which is higher than that of ordinary salt's, and its limited availability contribute to the consumers' preference for ordinary salt. As a consequence, demand for iodized salt has been low. In the light of these developments, and in response to the call for Universal Salt Iodization, the Department of Health has developed and launched the FIDEL (Fortification for Iodine Deficiency ELimination) Programme. It aims to have all salt iodized and to encourage the use of iodized salt. An inter-agency alliance has been formed, and one of its objectives is to educate the Filipinos about iodine, iodine deficiency disorders, and the means of preventing these disorders. This advertising plan was developed to contribute to the alliance's efforts in promoting the use of iodized salt. The focus of this plan is on the benefit of iodized salt to the mental and physical development of children. Through the use of TV, radio, posters, calendars, and brochures, the public will be informed of the benefits that people of different ages will derive from using iodized salt. With regard to media strategy, TV and radio stations are free to decide when to air the commercials subject to some instructions. Presidential Decree 1362 provides that government advertisements be aired for free. In return, the station gets an importation tax reduction which is equivalent to the cost of airing that commercial during that program or timeslot.