April 28 – May 1, 2025 | Online
The Advanced Study Institute of Asia (ASIA) and the African-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) successfully hosted a four-day international training workshop addressing the urgent health and development crisis of lead poisoning across Asia and Africa.
The workshop brought together public health experts, researchers, and policymakers from over 10 countries to examine how lead exposure undermines key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—including good health (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), poverty reduction (SDG 1), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and sustainable cities (SDG 11).
Key highlights included:
- Elevated data on elevated blood lead levels among children in Bangladesh, Ghana, and Zambia.
- Calls for urgent regulation, public health intervention, and regional cooperation.
- Evidence linking lead exposure to reduced IQ, chronic illness, and lost economic productivity.
- Insights into local remediation projects and early oral diagnostic tools in India.
With speakers from AIIMS, PGIMER, Keck School of Medicine, and grassroots organizations like Pure Earth, ESDO, and CEPHED, the workshop emphasized the urgent need for multi-sectoral action, improved regulation, and community-based solutions.