About one million people die yearly due to lead poisoning: WHO

An estimated 1 million people die from lead poisoning annually and millions more, many of them children, are exposed to low levels of lead, causing lifelong health problems, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The health effects from lead poisoning include anemia, hypertension, immunotoxicity, and toxicity to the reproductive organs, the WHO said in a statement, marking the 10th International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW).

WHO said the neurological and behavioral effects of lead could be “irreversible.”

“Lead exposure is especially dangerous to children’s developing brains and can result in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), attention span, impaired learning ability, and increased risk of behavioral problems,” said Dr. Maria Nera, head of the WHO’s environment, climate change and health section.

Lead exposure is estimated to account for 21.7 million years lost to disability and death (disability-adjusted life years) worldwide, due to long-term effects on health, according to WHO.

WHO has called upon all countries to ban lead paint, identify and eliminate all sources of childhood lead exposure, and educate the public regarding the dangers of misusing lead-containing products.