Unicef ​​has called on the caretaker government to adopt a strategy to build a lead-free Bangladesh as findings of a recent research show alarming blood lead levels among children in the country.

With a commitment to end the debilitating and life-threatening effects of lead poisoning on children, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), together with Unicef, today (November 5) organized a national workshop marking lead poisoning . Prevention Week, according to a press release.

The workshop improved understanding of the sources of heavy metals affecting children, including lead, and engaged government and private sector stakeholders to take action to mitigate lead pollution.

The workshop presented evidence and findings from previous research showing alarming blood lead levels among children, the sources and routes of contamination affecting them, and highlighted the importance of having nationally representative data on blood lead levels. By understanding these factors, the Bangladesh government, businesses and civil society organizations can jointly address the challenges of lead poisoning.

“Lead and heavy metal poisoning is a silent crisis that needs our immediate and unwavering attention. The Interim Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to create a lead-free future for all and end lead poisoning by 2040. I urge all stakeholders to be active. By participating in this workshop together, we can develop a comprehensive protocol and action plan to identify the major sources of exposure to toxic metals in Bangladesh,” said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

Lead poisoning is an urgent environmental health crisis, particularly in Bangladesh. Rapid urbanization and industrialization have increased heavy metal contamination in the environment, exposing children to toxic substances through air, water, soil, food, toys, paints and cookware. The extent of lead poisoning in women and children in the most vulnerable communities is widespread, being particularly harmful to young children and causing lifelong neurological and physical impairment.

“Unlike adults, children are more severely affected by heavy metals in general and lead poisoning in particular: the effects are lifelong and irreversible. Tragically, the period of brain development in children is restricted and almost all their organs are affected. in adults, it causes cardiovascular diseases, and in pregnant women, the unborn child is affected. It is prevented, with clear laws and the right buy-in from the private sector in particular, the enormous health and education costs – not to mention the costs. for individual women and children can be dramatically reduced,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF representative in Bangladesh.

“Together with partners, Unicef ​​is fully committed to supporting the interim government to achieve its vision of creating a healthier and safer Bangladesh, where every child can grow, play and learn in a environment free of lead and toxic metals”.

Unicef, together with the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and the Bangladesh International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research (icddr,b) detected lead in the blood of all 980 children tested in Khulna, Tangail, Patuakhali and Sylhet districts as well as in over 500 children in Dhaka. Of these samples, 40 percent in the four districts and 80 percent in Dhaka exceeded the threshold of 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood, the World Health Organization’s minimum cutoff level. However, any level of lead is not considered safe, and therefore screening for lead and eradicating lead sources will be a priority for the partnership’s work.

In June 2024, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and Unicef ​​officially announced the launch of the “Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS): Round 7 (2024-2025)” with funding from USAID, where, for the first time, a model for collecting data on blood lead and other toxic metals will be included. This reliable large-scale national data will provide strong evidence for policy reforms and help introduce stronger legislation and interventions for a lead-free future in Bangladesh, one with lead-free products and much safer industrial practices.

Through the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future (PLF), a global initiative to combat lead exposure in children, envisioning a world without lead exposure, Bangladesh has set an ambitious goal of ending lead poisoning from childhood to 2040. As a PLF partner, with the support of Unicef, Bangladesh signals its commitment to identify and prevent lead exposure and gain access to expertise, resources and opportunities to collaborate with CSOs and the private sector.

During the workshop, Unicef ​​called for a multisectoral action plan between all relevant ministries to respond to lead poisoning and to strengthen the capacity of laboratories in the health and environment sectors to test for heavy metals. Unicef ​​is also seeking the expertise of partners to support the interim government to identify sources and routes of exposure to help address the causes of lead poisoning.