9.3 THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR CONTROL OF IODINE DEFICIENCY DISORDERS (ICCIDD)

The recently established ICCIDD (supported initially by UNICEF and the Australian Government) is a source of scientific expertise for international agencies and governments concerned to prevent and control IDD. Its role was made explicit with the development by the ACC/SCN of a 10-year programme aimed at the prevention and control of IDD.

The ICCIDD already has a global, multidisciplinary network of more than 300 members. They include scientists, planners, communicators, salt technologists, clinical chemists and others concerned with IDD control. A registry of members is being compiled and will be published in due course.

The ICCIDD has adopted several strategies to achieve its major aim of bridging the knowledge-application gap. These include:

1. Consultations with international agencies such as WHO and UNICEF, at both global and regional level. Consultation with UNICEF led to important initiatives, including the development of a crash IDD-control programme in southern Peru. In Africa, an ICCIDD regional consultation with WHO and UNICEF has begun the process of developing a strategy for IDD control throughout the continent. In addition, there have been consultations in various countries (e.g Nepal, Indonesia).

2. Publications, including the IDD Newsletter, a quarterly providing a comprehensive review of IDD-related activities, regional reports, and a regular review of the literature. The ICCIDD also has a programme for publication of monographs. The first ICCIDD monograph entitled "The Prevention and Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders" was published by Elsevier in March 1987. (Hetzel et al., 1987). It provides a systematic and detailed review by a multidisciplinary authorship from papers presented at the Inaugural meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal (22-26 March 1986).

The ICCIDD subsidized publication of the proceedings of two meetings held before the 9th International Thyroid Conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil (30, 31 August 1985) under the title "Iodine Deficiency Disorders and Congenital Hypothyroidism".

Other publications such as manuals on special aspects related to IDD and their control (goitre surveys, iodized salt production, and laboratory methods to determine iodine), required for more specific purposes, are planned.

3. Task forces on particular problems that arise in the development of effective IDD control programmes. At this stage there are four designated task forces - on communication, economics, iodized oil, and iodized salt;

4. Regional activities through regional coordinators. These include:

a) the development of regional links with national governments and international agencies, designed to help with effective control programmes;

b) assistance in providing information;

c) assistance in organizing country- or regional-level training programmes and workshops;

d) development of a multidisciplinary team of experts to advise on planning and implementation of programmes;

e) development of regional- and country-level publications on various aspects of IDD control.