Indu Bhushan and Soumya Swaminathan write: India’s hidden adversary, lead poisoning

As we aim to become “Aarogya Bharat”, a hidden adversary threatens the future of our nation — lead poisoning. A 2021 study brought forth a disturbing revelation: It estimated that more than half of our children (close to 20 crore) have lead levels in their blood greater than 5 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL). Even though no national survey has measured blood lead levels in adults and children, a follow-up study based on secondary data by Niti Aayog and CSIR in 2022 confirmed these findings. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), any level above 5 µg/dL is “a trigger for a thorough review of the ways in which a person is being exposed to lead and for action to reduce or end this exposure.”

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