Actor Roger Moore in town for UNICEF drive

Actor Roger Moore in town for UNICEF drive

JAKARTA (JP): UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Roger Moore is
scheduled to arrive in the city on Sunday on a six-day visit to
raise awareness about the importance of iodized salt in the diet,
particularly for children.

The British actor, best known for his roles as Simon Templar
in the TV series The Saint and James Bond from such movies as
Live and Let Die and The Spy Who Loved Me, is scheduled to meet
with government officials, including President Abdurrahman Wahid
on Monday. He has been involved with UNICEF since the 1960s.

"We are delighted to have Roger Moore, one of UNICEF's most
famous ambassadors, visit Indonesia at this time," UNICEF
representative for Indonesia Rolf Carriere was quoted as saying
in a release from the agency.

"Indonesia is at a crossroads in setting its public health,
priorities, and the economic situation has pressured families
into compromising their families' long-term mental and physical
development for short-term financial reasons by buying noniodized
salt."

The Ministry of Health estimates Indonesia loses 140 million
IQ points each year as a result of iodine deficiency. Lack of
iodine also causes goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland,
but the agency said that for every case of goiter, there are 10
to 20 "invisible" cases of mental retardation due to lack of
iodine. (brc).