CERF allocates $2 million for an outbreak of lead poisoning in Nigeria

27 August 2010: In response to mass lead poisoning affecting over 18,000 people in Zamfara State, CERF allocates $2 million for humanitarian agencies in Nigeria.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will receive $1.2 million and $818,000 respectively to support over 18,000 lead poisoning victims in Zamfara State.

In March 2010, an ongoing pattern of excess childhood death and illness occurring mostly among children under 5 in Bukkuyum and Anka Local Government Areas (LGA's) of Zamfara State was reported by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to the state health authorities. Investigations led by the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with federal and Zamfara State authorities, MSF and WHO, revealed that the outbreak was caused by acute lead poisoning. The source of the lead poisoning is from massive environmental contamination from the informal processing of lead-rich ore to extract gold. This activity has increased in intensity in a number of villages since November 2009. Further investigation by CDC and WHO has identified at least 5 additional villages where similar ore processing activities have been underway.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been 118 deaths, the majority have been children under 5. The crude estimate of mortality ratio is 3.4/10,000/day, exceeding the rate seen during emergencies in refugee camps (1/10,000/day). Deaths are continuing to occur.