FG Takes Bold Steps to Combat Lead Poisoning in Nigeria<\/p>\n
The Federal Government has unveiled comprehensive measures to prevent lead exposure, enhance surveillance, and ensure access to treatment, particularly among children.<\/p>\n
Lead poisoning is a serious health threat that can cause irreversible damage, especially to children’s developing brains and bodies.<\/p>\n
In a Press Briefing to mark the first-ever National Lead Poisoning Elimination Day in Abuja, Monday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, highlighted the tragic incidents of mass lead poisoning in Zamfara (2010), Niger (2015), and Sokoto State, where hundreds of children lost their lives due to unsafe mining and ore processing practices.<\/p>\n
Represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, he noted that to forestall further havoc, the Ministry in collaboration with sister Ministries and development partners, has developed a National Lead Elimination Policy and a 5-year Strategic Plan to coordinate prevention, detection and response across multiple sectors<\/p>\n
Key Initiatives, he stated, includes the Development of a National Lead Elimination Policy and 5-Year Strategic Plan, Establishment of a National Inter-Agency Working Group on Lead Poisoning, Provision of laboratory equipment to high-risk states with support from M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF), Community sensitization campaigns, health education outreaches, and social media awareness drives<\/p>\n
While emphasizing that there is no safe level of lead exposure, Prof. Pate reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ending lead poisoning in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
The commitment, he noted, “aligns with our national health priorities and with global efforts under the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)” the Minister emphasized”<\/p>\n
He stressed the need for urgency and unity in creating a safer, healthier Nigeria, where children can live, learn, and grow free from the dangers of lead exposure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FG Takes Bold Steps to Combat Lead Poisoning in Nigeria The Federal Government has unveiled comprehensive measures to prevent lead exposure, enhance surveillance, and ensure access to treatment, particularly among children. Lead poisoning is a serious health threat that can cause irreversible damage, especially to children’s developing brains and bodies. In a Press Briefing to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":149166,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[356,18,20],"tags":[292,2497,2351],"class_list":["post-149163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","category-news","category-the-nation","tag-federal-ministry-of-health","tag-national-lead-poisoning-elimination-day","tag-prof-muhammad-pate"],"yoast_head":"\n