About

A Global Initiative

Strengthening Health Systems to Reduce Lead Exposure is a partnership between Pure Earth and the Ministries of Health in Colombia, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Maharashtra, India, and Peru to strengthen each country’s national healthcare system to better prevent, identify, and treat lead poisoning.

Today, 1 in 3 children – 800 million – have enough lead in their blood to cause permanent neurological, cognitive, and physical harm.

An estimated 292 million lead-poisoned children live in Colombia, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Maharashtra (India), and Peru.

Over the next 5 years, the ministries of health in these 5 countries and states will design and implement new national programs to identify, monitor and reduce lead exposure. By enhancing clinical education and guidelines, strengthening health surveillance technology, and educating teachers and parents on the dangers of lead, countries will be able to better protect children and future generations from lead poisoning.

This project will:

  • Strengthen the state health system and local expertise to collect, analyze, and use childhood lead exposure data, 
  • Provide clinical guidance and training for health professionals on rapid data collection, integration, analysis, and dissemination of information about lead exposure,
  • Identify lead sources, and
  • Raise awareness and enable governments to plan, advocate for, and enact sound, cost-effective policies to address root causes.

Project Objectives

Objective One

Build capacity in each country to monitor exposure of children to lead.

Objective Two

Improve environmental health data collection in selected countries by establishing a national system of monitoring exposure of children to lead.

Objective Three

Increase knowledge about sources and pathways of exposure of children to lead.

Objective Four

Strengthen the ability of healthcare professionals to early identify, treat, and prevent lead poisoning, and educate communities and children about lead poisoning and ways to avoid/mitigate risks.

Implementing Partners

Partners include Pure Earth and Vital Strategies.

Project duration:

January 2023 – December 2027

Funding provided by:

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited