A C56 million Micronutrient Research Laboratory has been set up at the Department of Nutrition and food Science of the University of Ghana. The project was financed by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada.

The laboratory is equipped to carry out analyses of urine iodine, serum, TSH, ferritin, and Vitamin A among others. It has the capacity to serve as a service and research laboratory for Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) in Ghana and other micronutrients programmes in the West African sub-region.

A statement issued by Dr Asibey-Berko of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science and Project Director drew the attention of the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, CIDA and other multilateral and bilateral funding agencies to the existence of the laboratory on the Legon Campus. It said enquires on work related to salt iodine, urine, iodine and other micronutrients could be made from either the Department of Nutrition and Food Science of the the University Consultancy Centre. The statement said with this laboratory in place, the university of Ghana was also ready to mount a research to support the salt iodization programmes being launched in the country.

Giving the background to the kproject, the statement said that in 1991, the University of Ghana, through the Department of nutrition and Food Science, concluded a contract with IDRC Canada.

The University it said was to undertake a nationwide study of the prevalence and severity of Iodine Defieciency Disorder in Ghana and recommend measures for their control.

The University subsequently put together an inter- disciplinary research team comprising members from the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Agriculture Economics, computer Science and Sociology to work out details of the project.