It is scientifically proved opinion of health experts, especially paediatricians that if we fortified our flour with folic acid, we could significantly reduce birth defects among new-born babies. This includes risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects in some one thousand newly born babies. As usual, Government has been toying with this idea for some time, unable to make its mind up. But now under pressure from health experts, Public Health Minister Steve Brine has just announced that he will launch national consultation process early next year.
This is an unnecessary delay, as current advice is for pregnant women to take 400mg of Frolic acid daily for at least first 12 weeks. But not many follow this advice for various reasons, as some are not aware that they are pregnant, need frolic acid, especially when pregnancy is unplanned and have not seen their GP.
Moreover some eighty nations have already taken this advice to heart and added folic acid to flour, used mainly in baking breads, a stable diet in the Western world, as well as chapatti or roti, a stable diet in the Eastern world. So this consultation process is some-what outdated and unnecessary, a delaying tactic by the government who always hesitate to introduce new ideas, especially on health front, as British people and politicians are traditionally cautious when it comes to change, although in this case, government may want to know what effect this may have on rest of the population, that is if such a risk assessment has not already been studied, taken into account in those eighty countries who have taken to heart medical advice and added folic acid to their diet.
Some of our MPs are medically trained, working part time as GPs, in A & E department, as well as hospital Consultants. If these enlightened MPs put pressure on government, it will definitely make difference, as was the case in reducing gambling stake from £100 to £2 government wanted to delay until October 2019 under pressure from gambling industry, but pressure from some MPs, the original date of April 2019 was reinstated.
Fortunately such pressure groups are springing up all over the country, run and managed by dedicated people. We receive such request to sign petitions every week and we oblige without hesitation on most part.
Kumudini Valambia
Via email
