The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on countries to strengthen efforts to prevent lead exposure, a widespread but preventable public health threat estimated to contribute to more than 3.5 million deaths globally each year and affect hundreds of millions of children.
The call coincides with International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2026, themed “From Detection to Prevention,” which highlights the need for stronger regulations, effective enforcement and greater public awareness. WHO Member States have also mandated the development of a Global Action Plan on Lead Mitigation, scheduled for presentation to the World Health Assembly in 2027.
Lead exposure can occur through sources such as paint, cookware, cosmetics, spices, informal recycling and industrial contamination. Children are particularly vulnerable because lead can damage their developing brains and nervous systems. Even low levels of exposure can cause lasting harm, affecting learning, behaviour and overall development. Lead exposure can also contribute to cardiovascular and kidney disease in adults.
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“Lead poisoning should not be stealing children’s potential in 2026,” said Bruce Gordon, Director a.i, of WHO’s Department of Environment, Climate Change and One Health. We know where many exposures come from and we know how to prevent them. Countries now need to move upstream, removing lead from products and environments before it reaches a child’s bloodstream. WHO is working with governments and partners to help turn that evidence into action.”
WHO is working with governments and international partners to strengthen laboratory capacity for blood lead testing and improve the monitoring and early detection of exposure. Programme locations include five states in India, Brazil, Nepal and six sub-Saharan African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania.
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The organization will also launch the PREVENT Technical Package on Lead Poisoning Prevention in 2027 to help countries identify major exposure sources, strengthen regulations and monitor progress. A Global Action Plan on Lead Mitigation is also expected to guide coordinated prevention efforts.
Despite progress in recent decades, fewer than half of countries had confirmed legally binding controls on lead paint in WHO’s latest published global assessment.
WHO is urging governments, industries, healthcare professionals and communities to eliminate lead hazards at their source, improve surveillance, strengthen safety standards and promote safer industrial and waste management practices. Preventing exposure can protect children’s development, reduce healthcare costs and support healthier communities worldwide.
