EVALUATION OF LEAD POISONING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA A CASE STUDY OF EDO AND DELTA STATES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

So far and based on research, lead poisoning is one of the most populous and well-acknowledged disease children suffer. It is of toxic environmental origin. Children all over the world today are at risk of being exposure to lead from diverse sources. Researchers have proven that Lead poisoning accounts for about 0.6% of the global load of disease (WHO, 2009). Ways and sources of exposure to lead, minimal rates of lead poisoning and the dangerous outcomes differ to a great extent from country to country and from place to place within countries. Countries largely differ in their level of pointing out problem and in the ability and productiveness of their lead poisoning prevention schemes. Some countries have very strong and healthy programmes to carefully look into levels of lead in blood and the surrounding, and also effective programmes for primary and secondary prevention of childhood lead poisoning.

These countries have inflicted ban laws on some uses of lead, and have set environmental levels and have organized and sent out-screening programmes. Some countries have lead hot spots, such as battery recycling plants, smelters, refineries, mines, dangerous waste sites and sites where waste is burned in the open. Some countries acknowledge the fact that they have a childhood lead-poisoning serious challenge together with some exposure sources, but have not yet instituted the analysis and exposure prevention programmes. In some countries where the major issue of lead poisoning has not yet been acknowledged, there is nothing like careful examination programmes and, as such, public health authorities have minimal or no knowledge of the presence of a childhood lead-poisoning issue. Because of this situation, the clear and vivid view of global and regional lead poisoning in children is not yet fully explained. The contribution of lead poisoning to the global load of disease and its effect on the global economy and human development are perhaps still undermined.

There is a history of public exposure to lead in food and drink. Lead poisoning was a natural phenomenon in Roman times due to the utilization of lead in water pipes and earthenware containers, and in wine storage and a host of others too numerous to mention. A lot of international conferences and declarations have acknowledged the significant needs of childhood lead poisoning and the need to come for rescue in other to hinder it. The 1997 Declaration of the Environment Leaders of the Eight on Children’s Environmental Health accepted and confessed the significance of lead poisoning as a primary environmental poison and called for action to secure, shield children’s blood lead levels and to fulfill the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Declaration on Lead Risk Reduction.

STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The rampant cases and outbreak of lead poisoning in Nigerian cities have been a cause especially among environmentalists as it has far reaching implications on the environment. Not only does it have implications on the environment, lead poisoning have been found to have fatal consequences on the growth and development of the Nigerian child which has included their educational and social development amongst other spheres of life.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of lead poisoning in elementary schools. Other specific objectives of the study include; 1. To examine the influence/impact of lead poisoning on elementary school children in Nigeria. 2. To highlight the types of lead poisoning evident in Nigeria. 3. To assess the steps taken by government in preventing lead poisoning. 4. To determine the influence of lead poisoning on elementary school children academic development. 5. To recommend ways of reducing the influence of lead poisoning in elementary schools.