WHO urges faster action to end lead exposure which kills 3.5 million annually

Countries must accelerate efforts to prevent lead exposure, which is estimated to cause more than 3.5 million deaths globally each year and affects hundreds of millions of children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.The UN agency issued the call ahead of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, which runs from 18-26 October. Although exposure is entirely preventable, fewer than half of countries had confirmed legally binding controls on paint containing lead, according to the agency’s latest global assessment.‘Stealing children’s potential’The risks to children are particularly dangerous because their developing brains and nervous systems are highly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead. “Lead poisoning should not be stealing children’s potential in 2026,” said Bruce Gordon, interim director of WHO’s Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration. “We know where many exposures come from and we know how to prevent them. Countries now need to move upstream, removing lead from products and environments before it reaches a child's bloodstream.” Irreversible harm, lifelong consequencesLead contamination can occur through paint, cookware, co...