- The global fight against lead poisoning is gaining significant momentum, despite the World Health Organisation estimating it causes 3.5 million cardiovascular deaths annually and affects 815 million children worldwide.
- Delegates at the Second Annual Research Conference on Global Lead Exposure heard about major new initiatives, including those from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Asian Development Bank.
- New research presented at the conference highlighted high lead content in various consumer products, such as traditional eyeliners in Pakistan and India, and foodstuffs in Malawi and Ghana.
- The economic cost of lead poisoning is estimated at a staggering $6 trillion (£4.5 trillion) annually, equivalent to seven per cent of the global economy.
- Kenyan activist Phyllis Omido, known as the 'Erin Brockovich of East Africa,' shared her experience of campaigning for a community poisoned by lead, emphasising the human toll and the need for a clean environment for all.
IN FULL
Inside the fight against the global $6 trillion lead poisoning problem
