Mitigating Lead Exposure in Egypt: Health Surveillance and Source Analysis

The Mitigating Lead Exposure in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) project seeks to reduce lead exposure in Asia, Africa, and Latin America from exposure sources such as metal and ceramic cookware, adulterated spices, environmentally unsound used lead-acid battery (ULAB) recycling, and cosmetics. The overarching objective is to assist governments and stakeholders in strengthening institutional capacities, programs, and policies to effectively assess, prioritize, and mitigate lead exposure. Project countries include Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Peru, and the Philippines.

In Egypt, the Mitigating Lead Exposure in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) project is focused on reducing lead exposure through health surveillance and exposure source analysis. According to IHME, Egypt has one of highest estimated average childhood blood lead levels (BLLs), between 6.92 and 8.42 μg/dL.

Health Surveillance

Project Objective: Assisting the government to analyze BLLs of target populations to determine the prevalence, severity, and demographic and geographic distribution of lead poisoning.  

Project Activities:

1. Plan and execute BLL survey
2. Analyze the BLLs of the target population to determine the prevalence, severity, and demographic and geographic distribution of high BLLs  
3. Provide counseling to families of children with high BLLs
4. Provide guidance to government on appropriate exposure reduction strategies
5. Publish a research paper on the BLL survey and home-based assessment findings 

Expected Outcome: The government of Egypt and other stakeholders understand the prevalence, severity, and demographic and geographic distribution of lead exposure, which will inform the mitigation strategy and next steps by GoE and other actors.  

Source Analysis

Project Objective: Assist the government to identify and prioritize the primary sources of lead exposures in homes and in community environments by testing consumer products and environmental media.

Project Activities:

1. Train relevant government authorities (likely EPA or equivalent) and academic institutions in source-assessment methodologies or protocols.
2. Assessment of products and environmental media in households with a focus on high BLL children identified through BLL testing.
3. Assisting government authorities to analyze the results and develop policies and programs to scale impactful interventions, design communications campaigns, or create new policies or programs to address priority exposure sources.

Expected Outcome: The Government of Egypt and other stakeholders understand the sources that likely contribute most to lead exposure, which will inform mitigation strategies and next steps.