The WHO is urging governments to strengthen measures against lead poisoning, which affects hundreds of millions of children worldwide. New guidelines and a global action plan aim to improve prevention, including in six sub-Saharan African countries.
Lead poisoning affects hundreds of millions of children worldwide
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments to do more to prevent lead exposure, which affects hundreds of millions of children worldwide. The United Nations agency issued its appeal ahead of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, taking place from 18 to 26 October.
Although lead exposure is largely preventable, fewer than half of all countries worldwide have legally binding controls on lead-containing paint, according to the agency’s latest assessment.
“Lead poisoning is robbing children of their potential”
Lead poisoning is particularly dangerous for children because their developing brains and nervous systems are extremely vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead.
“In 2026, lead poisoning should no longer be robbing children of their potential,” said Bruce Gordon, Acting Director of the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration.
“We know where most exposures come from, and we know how to prevent them more effectively. Governments must now tackle the problem at its source, removing lead from products and environments before it reaches a child’s bloodstream,” Gordon added.
Irreversible damage and lifelong consequences
Lead contamination can occur through paint, tableware, cosmetics, spices, unsafe recycling practices and industrial sources. For example, unsafe recycling of lead-acid batteries is one of the leading causes of lead contamination globally.
The problem is that there is no known safe level of lead exposure, and even relatively low exposure can cause irreversible damage.
Lead poisoning affects multiple organs and contributes to health problems such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases in adults. In children, it causes irreversible damage to the brain and development.
Long-term consequences include learning difficulties, behavioural problems and other health issues. One of the main dangers is that symptoms may not be immediately visible. As a result, many cases go undetected until significant damage has already occurred.
Lead poisoning: global action plan and prevention guidelines
WHO Member States have recognised lead exposure as a pressing public health concern and have mandated the agency to develop a Global Action Plan for Lead Mitigation, which will be presented next year to the World Health Assembly, the WHO’s governing body.
In 2027, the agency will also launch the PREVENT Technical Package on lead poisoning prevention, providing countries with practical guidance to identify priority sources of exposure, determine which interventions could have the greatest impact, strengthen and enforce regulations, and monitor progress.
Last year, the WHO joined other partners in an initiative specifically aimed at strengthening lead poisoning prevention by developing and improving laboratory capacity to measure blood lead levels, enabling early detection of lead exposure.
The capacity-building and technical support measures developed under the initiative will be implemented in selected locations in Brazil, India, Nepal and six sub-Saharan African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania.
