Abstract
What do they do? The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN: https://www.gainhealth.org) works to improve health through staple foods that are fortified with essential nutrients. This page focuses exclusively on its work assisting universal salt iodization (USI) programs. GAIN’s USI activities vary considerably across countries and include advocacy, technical assistance, supplying equipment, training government officials and salt producers, and monitoring, among others. (More) Does it work? There is strong evidence that salt iodization programs have a significant, positive effect on children’s cognitive development and do so cost-effectively. We have not yet seen compelling evidence that rates of salt iodization have generally increased in the countries where GAIN has worked nor that observed changes should be attributed to GAIN’s work. We have spent the most time attempting to understand GAIN’s impact in Ethiopia. Overall, we would guess that GAIN’s activities played a role in the increase in access to iodized salt in Ethiopia, but we do not yet have confidence about the extent of GAIN’s impact. (More) What do you get for your dollar? Direct implementation of salt iodization appears to be within the range of cost-effectiveness of our other priority programs. We have very limited information on the cost-effectiveness of GAIN’s USI program. (More) Is there room for more funds? GAIN’s main funding source for its USI work ended in 2015, and GAIN has been scaling down its USI work over the course of 2015 due to lack of funds. GAIN is seeking up to about $6 million per year over the next five years to continue its USI work. (More)
