The workshop on sustainable prevention of iodine deficiency disorders and achievement of optimal iodine nutrition and salt reduction, organized in partnership with UNICEF MENA, took place in Dubai on 10-13 March 2015. The workshop was hosted by the Ministry of Health, under the patronage of Dr Husain Alrand, the MoH Undersecretary for Hospitals and Clinics. Dr Izzeldin Hussein, the IGN Regional Coordinator for MENA/EMRO provided technical and organizational support in collaboration with UNICEF-MENA and other partners.

The workshop was attended by 48 participants from all over the MENA region, including from the UAE, Oman, Egypt, Sudan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. The countries shared their experiences in USI surveillance and integration of salt iodization and salt reduction programs. For all, it was an opportunity to learn how to address IDD through a successful multisectoral collaboration, and how to sustain progress in emergency settings. For their achievements in sustainable IDD elimination, the Gulf States received a collective award.

The goal of the workshop was to identify opportunities to leverage government and industry commitment and the commitment of regional bodies, such as the Gulf State Cooperation and the existing surveillance systems. All countries provided their Plans of Action for 2015-2020, which will facilitate further tracking of country progress. By building on the existing USI successes across the region, the aim is to make the 4 million newborns and 148 million people who are currently partially unprotected from iodine deficiency a thing of the past in the Middle East and North Africa.