Thyroid gland epidemic hits ChechnyaTimur Aliyev, North Caucasus – Through medical examinations, it was found that nearly all of the Chechen population suffers from some type of endocrine gland dysfunction, stated members of the Health and Education Ministries and Epidemiological Center during a round table discussion on May 24 at the endocrine outpatient clinic in Grozny.
According to them, almost 90 percent of patients who undergo endocrinal examinations have enlarged thyroid glands. The main reason for this is a lack of sufficient iodine in their systems, stated the doctors.
"Iodine deficiency in food leads to an enlargement of the thyroid gland which causes people to develop goiter problems," explained Chechen Deputy Health Minister Akhmed Sadayev.
"Because this illness is inherent among the inhabitants of Chechnya, an endocrinology outpatient clinic was founded at the beginning of the 1960s that examined and treated all the villagers. As a result, this national phenomenon was all but eliminated by the mid-80s," he said.
Unfortunately, an epidemic is again spreading across Chechnya, he noted. To prevent it becoming widespread, regular patient examinations and treatment must be renewed. And also all food products and salt contents must be examined to make certain they contain enough iodine, declared Sadayev. (S/E,T) |
