PREVALENCE OF GOITRE AMONG MUSLIM SCHOOL CHILDREN IN DOMKOL SUB-DIVISION OF MURSHIDABAD DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL

摘要

Iodine is an essential micronutrient required for structural development and optimal functional activity of the thyroid gland and central nervous system. Iodine deficiency has been shown to be associated with endemic cretinism, endemic goitre and subcretinous mental subnormalities1. Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) refers to a complex clinical and subclinical disorders caused due to the lack of adequate dietary intake. Globally, 2.2 bilion people live in areas with iodine deficiency and risk its complications, while in India, 167 million people are at risk of IDD, 54.4 million people have goitre and 8.8 million people have IDD related mental/motor handicaps2. Considerable progress has been made in the implementation of the universal salt iodizationprogramme in the countries affected by IDD. IDD is now not restricted in the classical hilly sub-Himalayan goitre endemic belt in India. It has also been reported from sub-Himalayan flat lands (tarai), plains (especially those subjected to annual flooding), riverine areas, deltas and even in coastal regions. The northern part of the state of West Bengal is hilly and located in the classical iodine deficient goitre endemic belt in India, while its major southern region is inthe Gangetic basin where the land is plain, fertile and thickly populated. Prevalence of goitre has been reported in many districts like South 24-Parganas, North 24- Parganas, Howrah, Malda, Purulia, Dakhin Dinajpurand Birbhum in West Bengal. The systemic studies about the prevalence of goiter among school children of the Gangetic regions of Murshidabad district is not available. Present study is thus undertaken to evaluate the present state of goiter prevalence among the Muslim school children of Domkol Sub-division in Murshidabad district as per WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD recommendation.