Article 20 ILPPWA Report 2020 from CEPHED, Nepal

Prevention of Lead Exposure through Effective implementation of Lead

Paint Standard in Nepal, ILPPW 2020

1. Background:

Global Alliance to Eleminate Lead Paint (GAELP) is a global joint initiative of World Health Organistion

(WHO) and United Nation Environment Program (UNEP) with the goal of preventing children’s

exposure to lead via paints containing lead and to minimize occupational exposures to lead in paint. With

the continued efforts of all concerned, Government of Nepal, Ministry of Forest and Environment

BLL (>5 µg/dl) among over 64 % of Nepalese children (NHRC 2015) among other four BLL studies so

far carried out in Nepal. 54 % of tested children toys contain most toxic heavy metal like Lead, Mercury,

Cadmium, Chromium and Bromine etc. (CEPHED 2013), Schools class room dust sample contains lead

more than 10 µg/ft2 (CEPHED 2014). These all indicates the urgent need to have regular compliance

monitoring, mass awareness raising, as well as health sector increased engagement with their enhanced

capacity.

In order to prevent lead exposure through enhance awareness and effective implementation of lead paint

standard, there has been absolute need of massive dissemination of BLL Nepalese studies and other

available global studies along with the dissemination of status of lead in paints and status of standard

compliance in all seven provinces among all concerned government agencies (Social Development

through ZOOM Webinars and maximum use of electronic mass media (Radio and Social Media etc.) has

been proposed and completed in in Nepal in line with the celebrating of the 8th International Lead

Poisoning Prevention Week of Action, October 25 to 31, 2020, called by GAELP. This is the

completion reports of all above said activities successfully completed in Nepal with technical and

financial support from WHO.

2. Objectives:

Celebration of 8th Internation Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Nepal through organizing series of

mass media, awareness raising and interaction programs were having following objectives.

Main objective is to raise awareness and built capacity to prevent lead exposure through elimination of

leaded paints in Nepal

October 22 (due to national holiday on 25th October) through ZOOM.

3. Organize an awareness raising and capacity building program on "Prevention of Lead Exposure and

Effective Implementation of Lead Paint Standards” with three provinces: 1, 2, and Lumbini during

the ILPPW 2020 through ZOOM.

4. Mass awareness through prepare, production and broadcasting of Radio PSA and social media

messaging on BLL & Lead paint standard from national most popular FM Radio Station (Kantipur)

etc.

3. Activities and events completed under ILPPW 2020 in Nepal

Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED) with technical and financial

support from WHO celebrated the 8th International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW 2020) by

advocacy programs along with the customization & dissemination of Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead

Paints (GAELP) 2020 materials, production and broadcasting of Radio PSA through one of the most

popular radio stations named Kantipur Dairy programs reaching out to over 20,00,000 population of

Nepal. CEPHED successfully accomplished all planned programs for celebration of week of action in

Nepal as part of globally observed events from October 25 to 31, 2020 and beyond.

In context of ongoing COVID 19 pandemic time, CEPHED had planned and successfully organized

various national and provincial level programs events towards joining the global actions/efforts of

eliminating lead paints. With the uncertainty of the ongoing COVID pandemic, increased mass awareness

through the maximum uses of electronic media Radio, social media and messaging, News (print and

electronic) though press releasing’s, social media and webinars etc. with great potential of reaching to

media about the weeklong programs and beyond. Government and WHO initiatives to eliminate lead

paints in Nepal were also included into the program as major highlights of all completed programs.

Wide media coverage has been achieved that helps to maximize the public outreaches with massive

message regarding dissemination about lead, lead toxicity and lead paint standard enacted by the

Government of Nepal and most importantly the issues of Blood Lead Level among the Nepalese children

and other vulnerable groups were also widely shared among health community’s at all federal, provincial

and local levels.

Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED) successfully organized a ILPPW

2020 Kick Off & National Level Interaction Program and three Provincial level awareness and capacity

building program on “ Prevention of Lead Exposure through Effective Implementation of Lead

Paint Standards” .

The major objective pf national and provincial level programs were raiseing awareness and built the

All programs were organized online through a dedicated zoom webinar supported with a Information

from all three level of the governments (Federal, Provincial and Local), Health Directorates, District

Health Offices, Faculties and Students from medical colleges, nursing colleges, environment science

colleges, environmental Occupational Safety and Health (EOSH) college, Universities, OSH experts,

Health Expert, Reserachers, Federation of Nepalese Cottage and Small Industrues (FNCSI), Butwal

Chamber, Commrse and Industries (BCCI), Professional Associations, Trade Unions, Consumer

Association, Grill and Steel Fabricators Association, Paint Industries and representative NGOs, youth

networks, Nepal environment Sciety (NES), Metropolitan City, Sub Metropolitan City, Municipalities

and media etc, were also participated. Represenatatives from Development Agencies, Nepal Human

Right Commission (NHRC) and Medical Doctors, Forest Officers were also present in the programs.

All the four programs were carried out in the similar fashain with four sections: Inaugural Session;

presented jointly by Mr. Sumin Maharjan, Program Officer and Mr. Ram Charitra Sah Executive

Director/Environment Scientist, CEPHED;

This paper clearly pointed out the high lead legacy in the paints in Nepal from the ssris of studies being

carried out bereo and after the lead paint standarrds beign purmulgated in Nepal. Very rigorous research

based campaign lead by NGOs has able to brough the lead paint stadnards in Nepal. The standards getting

effectively implemented over the years as revealed from the compliance monitoring. Still 30 percent

industries yet to improve their products. Court case issues related to lead paint standards were clearly

presented. High level of socio-economic losses as well as high level of blood lead level (BLL) among

Nepalese children were also raised. Clear recommendations about the required things to be done my

respective government agencies at all level along with the role and responsibility all other concerned

stakeholder were presented. .

Second paper presented by Dr, Keyoor Gautam, Dr. Santosh Pradhan, and Dr, Vivek Panta,

These Doctors groups presented the three researches about the BLL cariedout from their centers with

clear diagnosis and wayforward for the abatement in all four programs.

Firstly, Study of BLL among children in Kathmandu and Birgunj Industrial area were presented. In case

of Kathmandu among 50 Children, on an average BLL is 7.01µg/dL Situation among the Children of

Birgunj among school children adjoin to an industrial area ware still very alarming. In Birgunj, among 50

Children, on an average BLL was 20.33 µg/dL with 100 % of children in the study have elevated BLL

These finding were more or less coherence with the other previous studies carried out in Nepal as well as

the reported from recent UNICEF and PRURE EARTH 2020 report.

Secondly, BLL among 50 Rag pickers study findings about evaluate blood lead level in Rag picker

working in selected area of Kathmandu including hematological and biochemical parameters were also

waste. There has been high possibility of transfer their lead exposure to their neared kin and family

members.

Thirdly, the lead toxicity due to Ayurvedic Medicine use in a 38 year old people with acute abdomen

pain health complication following intake of Ayurvedic medicines for increasing power were presented.

He had initial blood level was 82.3 µg/dL. The used Ayurvedic medicine when analyzed for presence of

lead revealed very high concentration of lead (102 ppm) against the prescribed limit is only 10 ppm by

WHO.

Lists of lead poisoning prevention measures with major highlights as “Lead Poisoning is 100%

Presentable” were given. Washing hands before eating; wasing toys regularly; do not use old or

imported toys unless you know they are lead free; clean surface with wet mop weekly, chipping , penning

The major highlights of this paper ware role and responsibility of all three level governments for lead

paint elimination starting fron the Constitutional right to live in healthy environment, provision of fedreal

EPA, EPR, Provincial EPA and EPR as well as Gazette Notification of Lead Paint Standard and its

content and compliance status. He focussed on the need to do effective IEE, EIA as well as effectively

implement the laws and standard. He provide the suggested for paint industry to produce the paints

complying the standards as well as put the uniform label about the lead content on the can as per the

standards. He also suggested the role and responsibility of the provincial government in addressing the

lead paint and other chemicals safety issues by including these provision in relevant laws, regulation,

A. Final Press Release and Review of weeklong program: Press relase highlight the status of lead paint,

BLL, cocio economic impacts and also for the required control measures from different sectors

especially from the concerned government agencies. The major review were, despite of the ongoing

4. Massive Medial Outreaches

International Lead Poisoning Prevenion Week (ILPPW) 2020 has been successfully celebrated in Nepal

through the effective implementation of the project entitled” Prevention of Lead Exposure through

Effective Implementation of Lead Paint Standard in Nepal” with support of :National Health Education,

Information and Communication Center (NHEICC), Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP),

Government of Nepal; Provincial Government, Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment

(MoITFE); Health Directorates, Ministry of Social Developments (MoSD) of Province No.1, 2, Bagmati

and Lumbini and technical and financial support from WHO Country Office for Nepal.