For many food aid workers, it is not clear how and when to use each of them to try to reduce the occurrence of different nutritional deficiencies in large populations, where sub-clinical deficiencies, not the clinical cases seen and counted, account for the greatest proportion of death and disability. A key objective of the workshop is to allow NGOs to share pilot field study results directed at fortification of commodities given out in large quantities, primarily wheat, corn, rice, sugar and vegetable oil. While there is an extensive published literature on programs to fortify these foodstuffs, there is a need for more information sharing on their fortification for emergency programs and food aid. Because emergency-affected populations often depend on the food ration given, it becomes important to try to fortify these ration foods with a range of vitamins and minerals, not just one or two. Much remains to be learned.
Refugees face a number of serious micronutrient deficiencies.
Iron deficiency anemia is ubiquitous in refugee camps worldwide. It is almost universally reported as one of the top medical complaints recorded in medical clinics for refugees from Thailand to the Sudan to Honduras. In addition to harming adult work output and growth potential of children, low hemoglobin levels predispose millions of refugee women to heightened risk of maternal mortality. Vitamin A deficiency is almost as prevalent as anemia. It is a particular hazard for populations affected by emergencies who rely for years on food aid which is typically poor in vitamin A content.