Micronutrient deficiencies affect a significant portion of the Bangladeshi population, and the issue should not be taken lightly.
These deficiencies can be found all across the board: From pre-school children who have Vitamin A and Vitamin D deficiencies, to pregnant and lactating women who are zinc deficient, this is a problem that must be addressed before the diseases that come about as a result affect greater numbers of people.
There are various reasons these deficiencies can occur, with the primary cause being deficiencies in locally-produced food itself, which could lack specific minerals or micronutrients, and authorities need to ensure that this lacking is addressed.
In this regard, we appreciate a recent initiative by the Food and Agriculture Organization, which aims to address this problem by examining the transfer of nutrients from soils to crops.
This is good news, as the quality of the soil, from which foodstuff gets the necessary nutrients to provide for local populations, is instrumental towards ensuring that this deficiency is eliminated as, depending on the mineral or micronutrient missing, people can have disorders like goiter, congenital iodine deficiency syndrome, and anaemia.
We must remember that the health of a population cannot be ignored on the path towards progress, and economic development cannot be sustained without the full participation of the people who continue to keep the wheels of the economy in motion.
As such, this recent FAO project is a definite step in the right direction, and we hope that the authorities continue to investigate and work towards improving the quality of food that is grown and provided to our population.
