Law Summary
Nature and Causes of Iodine Deficiency
- Iodine deficiency arises from inadequate intake of iodine-rich foods.
- Goiter is the most common clinical manifestation of iodine deficiency.
Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment
- Diagnosis requires advanced modalities often inaccessible to affected populations, especially the poor and marginalized.
- Treatments include prolonged medicinal use, surgical interventions, or nuclear medicine techniques.
- These treatments may be beyond the financial and technical reach of ordinary patients and some healthcare providers.
Preventive Measures and Education
- Prevention relies on sustained information dissemination, education, and training.
- Early adoption of preventive measures, such as the use of iodized salt, can prevent severe clinical manifestations and disabilities associated with iodine deficiency.
Proclamation and Implementation
- Every fourth week of January is designated as Goiter Awareness Week.
- The Department of Health is the lead agency responsible for coordinating Goiter Awareness Week.
- Coordination includes partnerships with the Philippine Thyroid Association, Philippine Society of Nuclear Medicine, Philippine Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism, International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders - Philippines, and other stakeholders.
- These entities are tasked with formulating guidelines, managing logistics, and disseminating information to ensure the success of the awareness campaign.
Legal Authority and Formalization
- The proclamation is issued by the President of the Republic of the Philippines under legal authority.
- The official signing and sealing formalize the declaration and empower the implementers to carry out its provisions annually.