14th International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action

Data for the National Policy: Unifying Partner Actions and Moving from Detection to Prevention of Lead-Based Pigments and Mitigate Diverse Sources of Lead Exposure in Kenya

The Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Nairobi, in collaboration with key national and international stakeholders, is hosting a national multi-stakeholder event marking the 14th International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) between October 18 and 24, 2026, with the main proceedings taking place on Friday, October 23, 2026. Aligned with the global theme, "From Detection to Prevention," this milestone event brings together key government ministries, regulatory authorities, international organizations, paint industry leaders, civil society organizations, university leadership, academic faculty, student associations, and community advocates. The forum highlights the University of Nairobi’s leadership in translating rigorous scientific evidence into enforceable national policy, community-centered advocacy, and sustainable laboratory infrastructure.

The event is structured into three sequential segments. Segment 1 features the official commissioning of the newly established Exposure Science and Chemometrics Laboratory (ESCL) within the Department of Chemistry. Renovated with support from ESTEC Limited and equipped through the support of Pure Earth, Vital Strategies, and the NIEHS-funded Lead Exposure Intervention Project (LEIP) alongside Principal Investigators from the University of Washington and University of Nairobi Faculty of Health Sciences. This facility significantly expands Kenya's national analytical capabilities to train postgraduate scholars, verify lead in consumer products, identify environmental heavy metal contamination and related exposures.

Segment 2 transitions into the official opening ceremony that will involve the University leadership and research teams handing over the national policy brief titled "Moving from Detection to Prevention of Lead-Based Pigments to Mitigate Diverse Sources of e Lead Exposure in Kenya" to the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry the National Focal Point for the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC) advocating for national supply-chain tracking under HS Code 3206 and supporting the international listing of lead chromate pigments under Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention. Concurrently, the Pure Earth will will over the donation statement with the University of Nairobi cementing long-term collaboration on advanced analytical equipment, capacity building, and heavy metal mitigation programs. This segment will be addressed by university leadership, Principal Secretary Dr. Eng. Festus K. Ng'eno, Her Excellency the Spouse of the Deputy President, and key stakeholders and partners.

Segments 3 concludes the proceedings with an interactive technical session that will be opened by Her Excellency. This collaborative forum will bring together scientists, the National Multisectoral Coordination Committee on Sound Chemicals Management (MCSMC), regulatory authorities including NEMA, KEBS, KRA, PPRA, and DOSHS, student leaders, civil society advocates, and industry formulators. The discussion will focus on evaluating supply-chain tracking mechanisms, strengthening lead exposure intervention programs, and establishing practical pathways to transition Kenya's manufacturing sector toward safe, lead-free organic alternatives.

For further inquiries, media endorsement, or partnership information, please contact the event coordinator, Dr. Faridah Hussein Were, Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi, at +254 729 239 135 or through email at fwere@uonbi.ac.ke.