RESUMEN
Objectives: Iodine deficiency disorders have been a prevailing problem in Nepal. With the objective to improve household use of adequately iodized salt, Nepal Government endorsed a strategy to promote adequately iodized salt with two child logo in poor performing districts of Nepal from 2007 to 2011. Methods: Social Marketing approach used a methodology of community mobilization under public private partnership, engaging mother credit and saving groups with interpersonal communication to each beneficiary. In this process, 650 women group mobilized with IEC/ BCC component, intensive supervision monitoring to promote iodized packet salt. Results: As a result of iodized salt social marketing campaign, household use of two child logo salt in intervention areas increased from 31% in 2005 to 55% in 2011. This increase in use of two child logo salt directly translated into the increase in household use of adequately iodized salt (with 15 ppm or more iodine) from 52% in 2005 to 70% in 2011. On overall, this increase contributed in the improvement of national use of adequately iodized salt up to 80% level (and that of salt with any iodine to over 95%) in 2011. Conclusions: Community Group mobilization is an effective tool to increase iodized salt consumption in Nepal, which established a direct relationship between iodized packet salt promotions with the household use of adequately iodized salt. With the result achieved, Nepal is on the verge of meeting universal salt iodization goal - 90% household using adequately iodized salt.