Asia Pacific
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged member states to intensify their efforts to prevent lead exposure, which causes more than 3.5 million deaths worldwide every year and poses a serious threat to the health of millions of children
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged member states to intensify their efforts to prevent lead exposure, which causes more than 3.5 million deaths worldwide every year and poses a serious threat to the health of millions of children. The appeal was issued ahead of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, observed from October 18 to 26 to raise awareness about the harmful effects of lead. According to the WHO, although lead exposure is preventable, fewer than half of the world's countries have adopted legally binding laws to ban or regulate the use of lead-based paints.
The risks posed by lead are particularly severe for children because their developing brains and nervous systems are extremely vulnerable to the toxic effects of this heavy metal. Bruce Gordon, Acting Director of the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, and Migration, said children's potential should not be sacrificed to lead exposure. He stressed that member states needed to take action at the source to remove lead from products and the environment before it could enter children's bloodstreams.
Lead contamination can originate from various sources, including paints, cookware, cosmetic products, spices, informal recycling and industrial activities. No level of lead exposure has been identified as completely safe, and even relatively small amounts can cause irreversible harm. Lead poisoning affects multiple organs in the body. In adults, it can contribute to various health problems, including heart and kidney diseases, while in children it can cause permanent damage to the brain, health and development. The effects can persist throughout a person's lifetime and include learning difficulties, behavioral problems and poor health. Since symptoms of lead poisoning may not appear immediately, many affected individuals remain undiagnosed until significant damage to their health has occurred.
WHO member states have recognized lead exposure as a serious public health concern and tasked the organization with developing a global action plan to reduce its harmful effects. The plan will be presented to the WHO's governing body and the World Health Assembly next year. The organization will also introduce a technical package next year aimed at preventing lead poisoning. The initiative is intended to provide practical guidance to member states, enabling them to identify major sources of lead contamination, determine more effective interventions, strengthen laws and regulations, and ensure their proper enforcement. Last year, the WHO joined its partners in the Lead Poisoning Prevention Initiative. The initiative aims to improve and expand laboratory capacity for measuring blood lead levels, enabling the timely detection of lead exposure and its harmful effects.
