Exploring the Status of Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Program in Nagaland

Globally, 1.9 billion individuals have inadequate iodine nutrition, of whom 285 million are school?aged children. Universal salt iodization is the favored preventive strategy for iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), the single largest cause of preventable mental retardation. Two thousand and twenty estimates show nearly 1 billion people do not consume iodized salt. When at least 90% of households consume adequately iodized salt (?15 ppm), a country is said to have attained USI. Only 23 countries had household coverage of 90% or higher. India has a household coverage of 76.3%. One 67 million people are at risk of IDD, 54 million suffer from goiter, and 2 million from cretinism. Yearly, 9 million pregnant women and 8 million newborns are at risk. Nagaland, with the second highest coverage of iodized salt in India, the study aims to assess the state?specific approach, track various mitigating measures that effectively sustained the gains of the program.