Lead Poisoning Kills 1000, Says Gov

Seeks N26b For RemedyOVER 1000 people, comprising women, and children under the age of five years, are reported to have died as a result of lead poisoning in some villages of Anka and Bukkuyum local council of Zamfara State since June 2010.Similarly, an estimate of over N26b was submitted to the state government as money required to address an upsurge in the problem and provide a permanent solution.The state governor, Alhaji Abdul Aziz Yari, disclosed this yesterday while flagging off a remediation exercise at Bagega, Anka local council, which is one of the villages worst hit.Yari said the state governments is deeply worried about frequent cases of children dying from lead poisoning, calling on the federal government to join hands with the state in checking the situation.'Since last year, Zamfara State has been on national and international media in respect to this disease that claimed over 1000 of our children and mothers and made hundreds of them permanently disabled,' the governor said.The governor said part of the money will be used in establishing a modern laboratory that would assist local and foreign experts conduct research in the affected areas.He said the United States of America hasshown interest in releasing 45 per cent of the total cost required to control the disease permanently.According to him, development partners, like the MedicineSans Frontiers (MSF) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC)have submitted comprehensive report on their findings to the state government.
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