ISLAMABAD:
A new study has revealed alarming levels of lead exposure among young children in Pakistan: four in ten children aged 12 to 36 months in high-risk urban areas have been found to have lead in their blood, posing serious risks to their physical and cognitive development.
The study, jointly conducted by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (M/o NHSR&C) and UNICEF, assessed more than 2,100 children in high-risk industrial areas in seven cities, including Haripur, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi.
It found stark geographic disparities: Hattar in Haripur reported the highest prevalence, where 88% of children had elevated blood lead levels, compared to just 1% in Islamabad.
Lead exposure, the report warned, can stunt growth, cause anemia, weaken the immune system and significantly impair cognitive development, lowering IQ, reducing attention span and impairing memory, thus increasing the risk of learning difficulties and behavioral problems.
Muhammad Aslam Ghauri, federal health secretary at the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, said protecting children from lead exposure was a national public health priority.
He highlighted that the evidence underlines the urgent need for coordinated action between health, environmental and regulatory systems. He added that the government was committed to strengthening surveillance, improving enforcement and integrating prevention into child health programs across the country.
The study identified multiple potential sources of lead exposure, based on global evidence, including industrial emissions, informal battery recycling, lead-based paints, contaminated foods and spices, and traditional cosmetics. It noted that exposure risks persist due to gaps in regulatory enforcement, monitoring and public awareness.
Global estimates suggest the magnitude of the problem may be much greater: up to eight in ten children in Pakistan could be affected, one of the highest rates in the world.
The report links lead exposure not only to development damage but also to long-term economic losses, estimated at 6% to 8% of GDP, or $25 billion to $35 billion annually.
“Children can absorb up to five times more lead than adults, making them especially vulnerable. Lead affects all body systems, but its impact on the developing brain can be devastating and last a lifetime. There is no safe level of lead exposure for children whose harmful effects are irreversible. UNICEF is committed to strengthening the evidence, promoting environmental health and driving multi-sectoral action to protect children from this toxic threat,” said Pernille Ironside, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan.
