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Assessing Country Progress in Universal Salt Iodization Programs: Iodized Salt Program Assessment Tool (ISPAT) Robin Houston, Mahshid Lotfi, Rose Nathan, and Chandrakant Pandav, Editors.  The Micronutrient Initiative, Ottawa; 1999.

"Over the past decade, there has been a remarkable expansion of salt iodization programs throughout the world. Progress in the reduction of iodine deficiency disorders has been one of the most impressive public health successes of the decade. UNICEF reports that a significant proportion of the population in more than 87 countries, representing 68% of the world’s population, already has access to iodized salt. This has resulted in the prevention of 12 million cases of mental retardation annually. By 1998, 179 countries had committed themselves salt iodization. The goal of universal salt iodization was within sight.

The challenge, however, does not end with universal salt iodization. Sustaining the achievement calls for continued strong political commitment and industry motivation. Producer compliance, quality assurance, logistic programs and bottlenecks all need to be addressed. The Iodized Salt Program Assessment Tool (ISPAT) offers a simple, low-cost mechanism for tracking and sustaining progress toward the goal of national salt iodization. It will provide governments and program managers with a step-by-step method of evaluating each element in an iodine deficiency diseases program.

The manual is divided into three sections. The Product shows how to ensure that all salt is iodized according to government standards. The Process describes ways of keeping up political will and financial commitments. The Progress covers ways of measuring iodized salt coverage and the iodine status of the population. In addition, the manual’s seven appendices offer detailed checklists of the different types of information to collect, guidance on how to conduct a rapid independent survey, sample questionnaires, and the World Health Organization’s criteria for assessing progress."

Publication information and ordering instructions are available through the International Development Research Council (www.idrc.ca).

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