Informing Salt Iodization Policies in Lebanon to Ensure Optimal Iodine Nutrition

Abstract

The K2P Policy Dialogue was attended by diverse stakeholders: policy and decision makers, representatives from relevant ministries (Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Ministry of Industry (MOI), Ministry of Economy and Trade (MOET) and Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE)), public institutions’ representatives (Lebanese Standards Institutions (LIBNOR)), UN agencies representatives (United Nations Children’s Fund – UNICEF), international (Iodine Global Network (IGN)) and local non governmental organization representatives (Consumers Lebanon), all the 4 salt production industries, salt packaging companies, medical society representatives (Lebanese Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Lipids) as well as researchers and public health scholars. The policy dialogue hosted 22 people and was facilitated by Dr. Fadi El Jardali, Director of K2P with the presence of Dr. Walid Ammar, the Director General of the Ministry of Public Health. Dialogue participants discussed the overall framing of the issue of iodine deficiency in the Lebanese population and the current salt iodization program that does not seem to guarantee adequate iodine intake. All participants endorsed the existence of the problem and agreed about the need to focus on the multiple factors that are leading to the problem.