The United Nations has raised the alarm over the safety of Nigerians, as lead poisoning continued in several parts of the country.
A? report of the world body which was released on Friday noted that at least 43 villages in Nigeria continued to present cases of lead poisoning, 18 months after cases were first discovered in the region, and called for increased? preventive measures in the country.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which had assisted the government in managing the situation, called on the Nigerian government to increase its commitment to combat lead poisoning by strengthening the? capacity to diagnose, treat and manage it, as well as ensure that all areas have been de-contaminated.
The body warned that lead poisoning cannot be successfully eliminated without significant changes to mining practices, including the relocation of ore processing activities and storage of ore materials away from villages.
Other necessary measures recommended by the WHO included the adoption of processing methods which produce less dust, and hygiene measures such as removing contaminated clothes and washing before returning home.
Lead poisoning damages the nervous system and causes brain and blood disorders. Treatment is time-consuming and expensive, as it involves undergoing long-term therapy with chelating agents, which remove heavy metals from the body.
Also prescribed was treatment which involves persuading people to adopt new practices and behaviours, something which requires an ongoing effort from authorities to continuously raise awareness and make sure the population follows preventive measures.
According to the WHO, children in seven villages in Zamfara state require chelation therapy. This is in addition to the residents of seven other villages who have already received treatment.
In these villages, the combined effects of removing children from lead exposure and providing chelation therapy caused the child mortality rate to drop from 43 per cent to one per cent in one year.
Since the problem was discovered last year, $1.9m has been provided by the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to the WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which have been used to provide treatment, train doctors, provide quick diagnoses, and raise awareness about the hazards of lead.