No Safe Level: FG Steps Up Fight Against Deadly Lead Poisoning
Few dangers are as silent yet as devastating as lead poisoning.
Found in paints, batteries, cosmetics, contaminated water, mining dust, and even some traditional medicines, lead quietly seeps into homes, schools, and communities, especially those near artisanal mining sites. Its impact, particularly on children, is lifelong: brain damage, learning disabilities, stunted growth, and behavioural problems.
Experts insist, there is no safe level of lead exposure.
It is against this backdrop that Nigeria, for the first time, marked the National Lead Poisoning Elimination Day on 31st October 2025, with the theme “No Safe Level: Act Now to End Lead Exposure.”
The event, convened by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, brought together government officials, health experts, and development partners to renew national commitment to ending this public health threat.
In his keynote address, the coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Kachollom Daju, described lead poisoning as a “silent but deadly threat” that undermines human capital development.
He warned that lead exposure not only damages the brain and nervous system but also contributes to hypertension, kidney failure, and reproductive health challenges in adults.
Recalling tragic outbreaks in Zamfara (2010), Niger (2015), and Sokoto (recent years), where unsafe mining practices led to the deaths of hundreds of children, Professor Pate said the government has drawn key lessons and is determined to prevent future incidents.
He highlighted the establishment of a National Lead Elimination Policy and a Five-Year Strategic Plan, as well as the creation of an Inter-Agency Working Group on Lead Poisoning Elimination, inaugurated in September 2025.
These efforts, he said, are aimed at strengthening surveillance, expanding diagnostic capacity, enforcing regulations, and mobilising sustainable financing.
The Minister also acknowledged the support of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in providing laboratory equipment and treatment for children with elevated blood lead levels, while commending ongoing sensitisation campaigns promoting preventive actions such as handwashing, dust control, and safe water use.
In his welcome remarks, Director of Public Health, Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, stressed that lead poisoning remains one of Nigeria’s most preventable yet under-recognised public health challenges.
He urged continued collaboration across ministries, states, and communities to enforce environmental standards and strengthen health systems for early detection.
Both officials reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to eliminating lead exposure in line with global efforts spearheaded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Their message was clear: Nigeria’s future depends on decisive action today. Ending lead poisoning is not only a public health priority, it is a moral imperative to protect every child’s right to a safe and healthy life.
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