BANGALORE: After creating public awareness on the dangers of lead poisoning and setting up several lead clinics in India, the National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning Prevention in India (NRCLPI), in association with Quality Council of India (QCI), is now helping other developing countries set up lead clinics as self-monitoring system to combat lead exposure.The six countries which will receive the technical support are Bangladesh, Nepal, Philippines, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Later, the centre aims to help South-East Asia and African countries.The main objective of setting up these lead clinics is to help developing countries in self-monitoring system, especially to prevent lead poisoning during childhood and help the victims of lead poisoning. Emphasis will also be on lead paints which are common cause of lead poisoning among children. These clinics will have uniform system methodologies.Dr Thuppil Venkatesh, director of National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning Prevention in India, said, “Unlike developing countries, which lack basic awareness on lead poisoning, developed countries like the US, UK and Germany have taken aggressive steps to combat lead poisoning. Global incidences of lead poisoning are more in developing countries. In the last decade, reports of lead poisoning in humans have poured in, particularly from developing countries, faced with environmental and occupational lead exposure. These initiatives will help them prevent lead poisoning.”The first level of meeting was recently held in Geneva and the second is scheduled from July 9 to 11 in Bangkok by the committee members of NRCLPI and QCI. Currently, India has nearly 16 lead clinics and Bangalore has three such clinics and other two are in the pipeline. According to a recent study report by NRCLPI, over 18 per cent of children during growth and development are found with unacceptable levels of lead in their blood causing concerns about the poisoning.
Comments
0 comment