Lead Content in 16% of Children Exceeds 10 mkg/dl – what does this mean?
In September-December 2018, as part of MICS, which is the world’s major household surveyes, for the first time in Georgia, conducted a survey on lead content.
To determine the lead level, vein blood tests were collected from 1578 chidlren of 2-7 age category all over Georgia.
According to the research, the lead content in 25% of children in Georgia ranges from 5 to 10 mkg/dl. This is a slight rise, while in 16% of children the lead content equals to or exceeds 10 mkg/dl.
There is no standard of safe lead concentration in human body. However, under recommendations of WHO and USA Disease Control and Prevention Centers, various public health projects should be implemented, when the lead content in vein blood equals to or exceeds 5 mkg/dl.
The children were selected on random principle and blood samples were sent to Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), which represents Europe’s leading health institute. In the research process the ICP MS was used and this is one of the best standards recognized by WHO.
The multiple indicator cluster survey was conducted by Geostat, the national statistics services with the financial and technical support of UNICEF and Georgian National Center for Disease Control and Public Health and Italian National Institute of Health (ISS). The research project was also contributed by SIDA, USAID, AFD, SDC, UNFPA, UNDP, WHO and WB.