163 people, including 111 children, have died since March in northern Nigeria due to lead contamination from work in an illegal gold mine, a government official said.
We have a total of 355 cases (poisoning) and 163 fatalities, said chief epidemiologist at the Ministry of Health Henry Akpan. He added that many of the 111 children who died were not yet five years old.
Several remote villages in the northern state of Zamfara have been affected by lead poisoning. Akpan explained that gold prospectors were working there, but the area also has a high concentration of lead. The victims died as a result of contact with tools, soil or water contaminated with high concentrations of lead.
Akpan added that the number of cases has decreased since April, when local authorities stopped illegal mining and evacuated residents.
Nigeria has asked international organizations for help, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Center for Epidemiological Control and Prevention (CDC).
Zamfara is one of the poorest states in Nigeria. Many inhabitants make a living from mining using artisanal methods or agricultural production for their own needs. However, this region has resources of gold, copper, iron and manganese ores (PAP).