Lead Poisoning
Zamfara State, Nigeria
In early 2010, doctors from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) were conducting field visits in Zamfara State, in northwest Nigeria, when they noticed an absence of children in several villages. When these doctors inquired with the local population about the low numbers of children, they were told that most children had died unexpectedly. This was reported to the State Health Authorities, who invited international specialists to investigate the cause of death. Investigations led by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with Federal and Zamfara State authorities, MSF, Blacksmith Institute, and the WHO, revealed that the outbreak was caused by acute lead poisoning. The source was massive environmental contamination from the informal processing of lead-rich ore to extract gold. Men from the villages had brought rocks containing gold ore into the villages from small-scale mining operations; however, the villagers did not know that the ore also contained extremely high levels of lead. The ore was crushed inside village compounds, spreading lead dust throughout the community.
Blacksmith Institute joined a CDC field investigation that measured blood-lead concentrations in 113 samples from young children in the villages of Yargalma and Dareta. The results showed that 100% of the children had blood-lead levels exceeding 10 μg/ dL (the international standard for the maximum safe levels of lead in blood), 96% exceeded 45 μg/dL, and 84% exceeded 70 μg/dL. It was also discovered that there were 78 deaths in Yargalma (30% of the population was less than 5 years old in the village) and 40 deaths in Dareta (20% of the population was less than 5 years old), totaling 118 deaths in these two communities since the beginning of the year. 95% of all deaths were in children under the age of five. As of September 2010, it was estimated that a total of 2,500 children have life-threatening levels of lead in their blood. Further investigation identified at least five additional villages where similar ore processing activities are common. In many areas in all villages sampled, including family homes and compounds, the soil lead concentration exceeded 100,000 ppm, far above the recommended maximum of 400 ppm considered acceptable for residential areas. Ingestion of contaminated soil has been the primary pathway of lead exposure.
Project Strategies
Throughout 2010, the State and Federal health authorities of Nigeria have partnered with WHO, CDC, MSF, and the Blacksmith Institute to address this problem. MSF has offered chelation therapy—a treatment for removing lead from the body—to any children testing at critical levels. To ensure the children do not return to homes contaminated with lead, Blacksmith Institute is conducting environmental decontamination and remediation in several villages in collaboration with local authorities. Local men are being paid to assist with the cleanup operations. Cleanup crews take contaminated soil to a landfill site and bring clean replacement soil to the villages. In addition to soil removal, thorough removal of dust from all interior spaces and compounds is essential. Children who have undergone a course of chelation therapy and are ready for discharge from the treatment centre must return to a clean environment. This project was ongoing at the time this report was written.
