At least 42% of Mozambican children have elevated levels of lead in their blood — a level of exposure considered severe by authorities, as it undermines cognitive development, affects learning ability, and poses a silent threat to public health and the country’s economic future.
The information was released on Friday, the 8th, in Maputo by the Secretary of State for Land and Environment at the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries, Gustavo Sobrinho Dgedge, based on a study conducted using 85 samples.
According to the official, lead exposure is currently one of the most silent and devastating threats to public health worldwide.
“Its effects are profound and often irreversible, affecting especially our children, compromising their cognitive development, their learning capacity and, consequently, the future of our country,” he said.
Data presented at the seminar indicate that around one million children die annually worldwide due to lead exposure. The study also found that 11.6% of oil-based paints analysed contain lead levels above 10,000 parts per million (ppm); 7% contain between 1,001 and 10,000 ppm and between 91 and 1,000 ppm; while 74.6% have levels equal to or below 90 ppm — the recommended limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Despite the severity of the situation, authorities believe there is room for intervention, particularly through regulation of lead content in paints and the adoption of safer alternatives.
The National Director for Environment and Climate Change at the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries, Sónia Muiambo, noted that more than 100 countries have adopted regulatory measures to limit lead in paints, protecting populations and promoting safer markets.
“More than 100 countries have already adopted regulatory measures to limit lead content in paints, protecting their populations. Mozambique has some legal instruments regulating the management of hazardous waste, as well as chemical products and organic pollutants, but gaps remain regarding the use of lead in paints and mercury and cyanides in gold and mineral extraction,” she said.
The Head of the Environmental Health Department at the Ministry of Health, Catarina Mavimbe, warned that children and pregnant women are the most vulnerable groups to lead exposure, with effects including learning delays, cognitive deficits, behavioural changes, and disruptions in physical and psychomotor development.
“In adults, it is a progressive and cumulative process that can lead to cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases,” she warned.
She explained that some studies suggest around 3.5 million children in Mozambique may be exposed to lead, although the country still lacks confirmed data on deaths directly linked to the metal.
A representative of the Lead Exposure Elimination Project, an international initiative focused on eliminating lead exposure, Victoria Kraussi, stated that lead exposure remains one of the greatest global public health threats, especially for children.
She added that the organisation aims to accelerate the elimination of hazardous raw materials, particularly lead chromate, and has already promoted regional workshops in Nairobi to share experiences on regulation and the gradual elimination of toxic substances in paints.
The study was conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries in partnership with the Pedagogical University, the Lead Exposure Elimination Project, and other governmental and non-governmental entities.
Source: Agência de Informação de Moçambique
