Lead is toxic with no safe level of exposure, and its widespread use is a preventable tragedy with high health, economic and environmental costs.
Lead poisoning causes more deaths than any other chemical exposure, with an estimated 3.5 million cardiovascular-related deaths annually. Up to 815 million children—1 in 3 globally—are affected by lead poisoning. In 2025, the World Health Assembly called for strengthened global action to address this major threat to public health.
Co-hosted by the World Health Organization, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Resolve to Save Lives, this event will set the stage for a new WHO Technical Package for Lead Poisoning Prevention, to be released together with the Global Action Plan on Lead Mitigation in 2027. Drawing from country examples, public health leaders will outline actionable steps to end exposure to this toxic element.>
Objectives
- Provide an overview of WHO’s Technical Package for Lead Poisoning Prevention
- Raise awareness of the burden of disease caused by lead exposure and its lasting impact on human and environmental health
- Illustrate country success stories to address lead exposure, including experiences galvanizing government and key stakeholders for action