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Province Eliminates Iodine Deficiency
North China's Hebei Province has basically eliminated the iodine deficiency disease, which is one of the most common diseases in the world.
China is one of the countries that has a widespread iodine deficiency disease. The occurrence of the disease in eight provinces such as Hebei, Shandong and Jiangsu are among the highest, affecting some 30 million local residents.
A survey in the early 1950s showed that some 2 million people in Hebei suffered from goiter, and 100,000 had cretinism.
To deal with the problem, the local public health department encouraged the daily use of iodine-added salt, and intensified routine supervision.
Officials said Chengde, which is in the most serious condition in the province, has on the whole got rid of miscarriages, premature deliveries and stillbirths due to lack of iodine.
Iodine is a necessary element in the human body. A low proportion of iodine will cause low IQ and deformities at birth.
China's public health departments set an goal in 1993 to get rid of iodine deficiency disease nationwide by 2000.
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