A must read post: Lead poisoning

A few months back I got an opportunity to participate in the Interaction program on the topic 'ABATEMENT OF BLOOD LEAD LEVEL(BLL) among Nepalese children on the occasion of International Lead Poisoning prevention week which is celebrated 20-26 October.It was really one eye-opening program to me about lead poisoning and how unknowingly we are victims of it.

 Lead is a toxic metal and a very strong poison. Lead poisoning is serious and sometimes fatal.

Effects:

1. Intellectual disability in children.
2. It interferes with numerous enzymes inside the cells of these organs. This results in symptoms such as muscle and joint aches as well as constipation and overall fatigue. 
3. It damages our brains by interfering with how brain cells send messages and communicate•
4. As Lead in the blood during childhood can have adverse health effects on a child’s cognitive function, academic performance, and endocrine systems, there should have policies to reduce the level of lead in the environment

    Why is this topic ''lead poisoning is a concern of everyone?

• The highest burden of lead poisoning is in low- and middle-income countries.

• The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has estimated that,

• Based on 2017 data, lead exposure accounted for 1.06 million deaths from longterm effects and 24.4 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost.
• 63.2% of the global burden of idiopathic developmental intellectual disability (i.e.
• Intellectual disability not due to known causes such as genetic factors),
• 10.3% of the global burden ofhypertensive heart disease,
• 5.6% of the global burden of ischaemicheart disease and
• 6.2% of the global burden of stroke.

• There is no level of exposure to lead that is known

to be without harmful effects. Lead exposure is preventable.

 

In Nepal loss of lifetime economic potential due to exposure to lead among 5 years young children wereestimated about 1.5 Billion International US$ annually.Which were about 4 % of the country's GDP?

    Unknowingly how we are exposed to lead?

1. Enamel paints,
2. Dalit and disadvantaged Janajatichildren and children playing outside with dirt and dust have significantly higher Blood lead levels.
3. Jewelry (used to make the article heavier, brighten colors, and to stabilize or soften plastic. ),
4. cosmetics(esp.hair dye and lipstick)That's because lead compounds are widely present in minerals and ores from which a number of chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics are produced. Certain colorants used in lipstick do contain tiny amounts of lead because it is virtually impossible to eliminate all contaminants. It does not matter if it's a cheap drugstore brand or a high-end beauty brand, approximately 61% of lipsticks contain lead, according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Lead is used in skin whitening cream as well,
5. lead does taste good so used in noodles,
6. Water stored in lead pipes or cooked in lead pots tastes sweeter,
7. Children toys to make them long-lasting bright and attractive to eyes,
8. Class desks, bench especially for children, etc.
9. ragpickers
10. Newars who are involved in paintings such as thangkas are more prone to lead poisoning because they blow the paint by mouth sometimes that has lead-containing paints and made by metal and it might get accidentally absorbed in the mouth.

It is said that the  Queen Elizabeth (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland,death was due to lead poisoning that she used for perfectly snow white look and she even used cinnabar, a toxic mineral containing mercury for perfect red lips.

How to control lead poisoning?

Eating healthy foods with calcium, iron, and vitamin C. These foods may help keep lead out of the body. Calcium is in milk, yogurt, cheese, and green leafy vegetables like spinach. Iron is in lean red meats, beans, peanut butter, and cereals. It would be effective if people avoid lead-containing paints as much as possible, foods, cosmetics, jewelry, etc and practice healthy and cautious habits.