Advisory Committee Evaluates Project Status of Double Fortification of Salt with Iodine, Folic Acid.
The Advisory Committee on the Double Fortification of Salt with Iodine and Folic Acid (DFS-IoFA) reviewed the project’s status on December 5, 2024. Following presentations on the clinical trial progress, supply chain and market analysis of folic acid, and public health and economic modeling for DFS-IoFA, the committee exchanged views and offered suggestions to enhance the project’s success and its path forward.
In her welcoming remarks, Mrs. Tiringo Kinfegebriel, Country Director of Nutrition International (NI), emphasized that constructive feedback and discussions would significantly contribute to achieving the objectives of the DFS-IoFA project, which aims to reduce neural tube defects in Ethiopia.
Mr. Fred Grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation delivered the opening remarks. He stated that this research is not merely an academic exercise; it addresses a critical public health problem, and the foundation is providing strong financial support for the project.
The Project Advisory Committee comprised senior government officials, including the State Minister of the Ministry of Industry, the State Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, the Director General of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), the Director of the Food and Beverage Industry Research and Development Center, the Director General of the Ethiopian Food and Drugs Authority, the Director General of the Institute of Ethiopian Standards, the Director General of Ethiopian Conformity Assessment, the Lead Executive Officer of the Nutrition Coordination Office of the Ministry of Health, and representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.