A series of

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

poisonings in

Zamfara State Zamfara (Hausa: Jihar Zamfara Fula: Leydi Zamfara 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤶𞤢𞤥𞤬𞤢𞤪𞤢) is a state in northwestern Nigeria. The capital of Zamfara state is Gusau and its current Governor is Bello Matawalle. Until 1996, the area was ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, led to the deaths of at least 163 people between March and June 2010, including 111 children. Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health figures, state the discovery of 355 cases with 46 percent proving

fatal Fatal may refer to: * ''Fatal'' (album), by Hussein Fatal, 2002 * ''Fatal'' (film), a 2010 French film starring Michaël Youn and Stéphane Rousseau * '' F.A.T.A.L.'', a tabletop role-playing game released in 2003 * Fatal Recordings, a record ...

. This is one of the many lead poisoning epidemics with low and middle income countries.

Findings

An annual immunization programme in Northern Nigeria led to the discovery of a high number of child deaths in the area citation needed tag . An investigation showed that they had been digging for gold at the times of their deaths, in an area where lead is prevalent. It was thought by the villagers that all the children had contracted

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

but

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; pronounced ), also known as Doctors Without Borders, is a humanitarian medical non-governmental organisation (NGO) or charity of French origin known for its projects in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases. ...

(MSF) found unusually high levels of lead in the blood during tests. The

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...

Actions

illegal mining Illegal mining is mining activity that is undertaken without state permission, in particular in absence of land rights, mining licenses, and exploration or mineral transportation permits. Illegal mining can be a subsistence activity, as is the ca ...

The number of cases has fallen since April when illegal mining in the area was halted, and some of the residents were evacuated. Education on health and the dangers of lead mining is also being given to local people. It is hoped that the clean-up can be completed prior to the start of the rainy season in July, which will spread contaminants, though it is being hampered by the remoteness of the villages and Muslim restrictions preventing men from entering some compounds. Those who died came from several villages. Five villages in the

Local Government Areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The phrase i ...

of Anka and

Bungudu Bungudu (or Bungundu) is a Local Government Area in Zamfara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Bungudu at. It has an area of 2,293 km and a population of 257,917 at the 2006 census. The postal code A postal code (also ...

were affected.

Treatment

Two treatment camps were established by health authorities to deal with the crisis. The

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...

, and the

Blacksmith Institute Pure Earth is a New York City-based international not-for-profit organization founded in 1999 that works to identify, clean up, and solve pollution problems in low- and middle-income countries, where high concentrations of toxic pollution have dev ...

assisted with the epidemic. Federal health ministry epidemiologist Henry Akpan said: "We are working with the state ministry of health to give health education and create enlightenment on the dangers of illegal mining". Nigeria's chief

epidemiologist Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...

Dr. Henry Akpan announced the discovery of the epidemic on 4 June 2010. Blacksmith has been removing toxic lead from houses and compounds in the villages, so that surviving children returning from treatment will not be re-exposed to toxic lead in their homes. The dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) chelation therapy deployed to 3,180 children by MSF is associated with a substantial reduction in the mortality rate of observed and potential lead poisoning cases.

References

{{Reflist 2010 in Nigeria 2010 mining disasters 2010 disease outbreaks Accidental deaths in Nigeria Mining disasters in Nigeria Deaths from lead poisoning Zamfara State Lead poisoning incidents

Findings

Actions

Treatment

See also

References