Summary A UNICEF survey found elevated blood lead levels in 88% of 75 children tested around Hattar Industrial Estate, prompting calls for urgent measures against pollution.
PESHAWAR (Dunya News) - A UNICEF survey has found elevated levels of lead in the blood of 88 per cent of children tested in areas surrounding Hattar Industrial Estate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising concerns over the potential impact of industrial pollution on children’s health.
Provincial Health Minister Khaleequr Rehman said UNICEF examined 75 children in Hattar and detected what authorities described as unusually high concentrations of lead in their blood.
According to the minister, blood lead readings among the children ranged from 18.3 to 21.3, levels he described as alarmingly high and requiring immediate attention.
The findings have heightened concerns about environmental exposure in communities situated around the industrial estate, where children may face greater risks from pollutants released into their surroundings.
Health authorities stressed the need to identify potential sources of lead contamination and take measures to limit further exposure.
Medical expert Shazia Jadoon warned that failure to curb lead emissions could have serious consequences, calling for effective interventions to shield children living in industrial zones from environmental hazards.
