A concise account of lessons learned on salt and iron iodization by world renowned economists, as part of the costs benefit analysis on leading development interventions. Fortification with iron and iodine was ranked as a top intervention priority. This has huge implications for public private engagement and, as the study discusses, cooperation between sectors is essential.
It also highlights the need for technical support and other legislative actions, for example, mandatory fortification. While focusing on best practice lessons, the paper gives a comprehensive situational overview, including the sever cognitive losses of iodine deficiency and coverage data at the household level.
Political will, multisector coalitions, and advocacy and communications are proven to increase the efficacy and reach of cross sectoral fortification programmes. The paper covers challenges and gaps in these areas, and cites public-private engagement as the way to overcome them.
