Hundreds of children in northern Nigeria have died in recent years from lead poisoning. Thousands more are being treated.
Hazmat Lawal operates an anti-corruption group called “Follow the Money.” Mr. Lawal says villages have been cleaned up, but many boys and girls in Zamfara remain in danger. He says the government has promised more than one million dollars to train local health workers about lead poisoning. But he says it has yet to release the money so nothing is happening.
“During our last meeting with officials from the Ministry of Health they gave us the shocking information that the 200 million that was allocated to their agency has not been released by the Ministry of Finance. To us that is a big shock and surprise.”
Mr. Lawal says Doctors Without Borders is the only organization now treating lead poisoning. He says training local doctors is urgent because the group is likely to leave Zamfara two years from now.
He also says miners need to be trained in simple safety measures. And they need basic support, like water availability and improved wet grinding machines. This, he says, will help protect children.
“They need access to water. Because after they finish mining they need to take their baths and rehydrate and put on some fresh clothes before they go back home. And they need machines.”
But, Hamzat Lawal says all the equipment in the world will not protect the children if miners are not taught how and why to use it.
最新
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25