A Lecture of "Iodine Deficiency Disorders & Its Complications in Somalia"

The lecture was organized by Mogadishu University (MU), Department of Students Affairs and the Faculty of Nursing, in cooperation with Arab League Medical Aid Team working in Benadir Hospital, Mogadishu - Somalia andwas presented by Professor Adnan Ziad MD, Consultant General Surgeon. It was held in the new campus hall of MU in Mogadishu - Somalia.

Professor Adnan, stressed the importance of the iodine in the human physiology, metabolism, complication of the iodine deficiency and the resources & the scarcity of this essential element.

The major complications of iodine deficiency disorders in the human are the following types, a goiter diseases (hyperthroidism, hypothroidism), mental deficiency (cretinism), hypertension, rickets, failure to thrive, growth retardation & global developmental delay and anemia etc.

Iodine element is a rich in the all sea food such as fish, shrimps, etc and easily available in Somalia. However marine resources are an exploited in Somalia, although the country has the longest cost land in all the African nations.

Because the Somali community has taboo not to eat the sea food due to ignorance of the balanced diet which is available in Somalia.

All students of MU, in particular the Faculty of Nursing and the teaching staff had gained good knowledge and valuable experience of iodine deficiency in Somalia and it is mandatory to introduce a proper nutrition (balanced diet) into our community.