Lead exposure can stunt growth, weaken immune system: study
ISLAMABAD: Four in ten children aged 12–36 months living in high-risk areas across seven cities in Pakistan were found to have lead in their blood, according to a latest study conducted by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) and UNICEF.
The study highlights that lead exposure can stunt growth, cause anaemia, and weaken the immune system. It also lowers IQ, reduces attention span, and impairs memory, increasing the risk of learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
The research sampled more than 2,100 children from high-risk industrial areas in Haripur, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, and Rawalpindi, revealing significant geographic disparities. Children in Hattar, Haripur, were the most affected, with 88 percent showing elevated blood lead levels, compared to just 1 percent in Islamabad.
“Protecting children from lead exposure is a national public health priority. The evidence highlights the urgent need for coordinated action across health, environment, and regulatory systems. The government is committed to strengthening surveillance, improving enforcement of standards, and integrating prevention into child health programmes nationwide,” said Muhammad Aslam Ghauri, Federal Secretary, NHSR&C.
The study identified multiple potential sources of lead exposure, based on global evidence, including industrial emissions, informal battery recycling, lead-based paints, contaminated spices and food, and traditional cosmetics. Risks persist due to gaps in regulatory enforcement, monitoring, and public awareness.
Global estimates suggest the burden may be significantly higher, with up to 8 in 10 children in Pakistan potentially affected—among the highest rates worldwide. Lead exposure is linked to reduced learning ability and long-term economic losses, estimated at 6–8 percent of GDP (approximately $25–35 billion annually).
“Children can absorb up to five times more lead than adults, making them especially vulnerable. Lead affects every system in the body, but its impact on developing brains can be devastating and lifelong. There is no safe level of exposure to lead, and its harmful effects are irreversible. UNICEF is committed to strengthening evidence, advancing environmental health, and driving multi-sectoral action to protect children from this toxic threat,” said Pernille Ironside, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan.
A high-level event brought together key stakeholders to review the findings and agree on priority actions, underscoring the need for sustained coordination. These include developing a national action plan to eliminate lead from high-risk products, establishing a blood lead surveillance system within child health programmes, enhancing public awareness, forming a government-led multi-sectoral task force, and improving evidence to guide policy and investment.
“Lead poisoning is one of the most preventable threats to child health and development. The evidence is clear that it has lifelong consequences for learning and productivity. Eliminating exposure requires urgent regulatory action, stronger enforcement, and sustained investment in prevention and child protection systems,” said Abdullah Fadil, Director, Partnership for a Lead-Free Future.
To strengthen the evidence base, a nationally representative survey is planned later this year to assess lead exposure among children and pregnant women—the most vulnerable groups—and inform targeted policy and programme action.
The launch coincided with the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future’s mission to Pakistan, aimed at supporting national efforts through technical exchange, partnership-building, and alignment on priority actions to eliminate childhood lead poisoning by 2040.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026