Zamfara State lead poisoning outbreak

An annual immunization programme in Northern Nigeria led to the discovery of a high number of child deaths in the area. An investigation showed that they had been digging for gold at the times of their deaths, in an area where lead is prevalent. It was thought by the villagers that all the children had contracted malaria but Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) found unusually high levels of lead in the blood during tests. The BBC suggested the contamination of water may have contributed to the high mortality rate. Blacksmith Institute (renamed Pure Earth) was called in by the Nigerian authorities to assist in the removal of toxic lead. It is thought that the poisonings were caused by the illegal extraction of ore by villagers, who take crushed rock home with them to extract. This results in the soil being contaminated from lead which then poisons people through hand-to-mouth contamination. Others have been contaminated by contact with contaminated tools and water. == Actions ==

In an effort to halt the epidemic, the authorities are clamping down on illegal mining and carrying out a clean-up of the area. It is hoped that the clean-up can be completed prior to the start of the rainy season in July, which will spread contaminants, though it is being hampered by the remoteness of the villages and Muslim restrictions preventing men from entering some compounds. Those who died came from several villages. Five villages in the Local Government Areas of Anka and Bungudu were affected. == Treatment ==

Two treatment camps were established by health authorities to deal with the crisis. The dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) chelation therapy deployed to 3,180 children by MSF is associated with a substantial reduction in the mortality rate of observed and potential lead poisoning cases. == See also ==