Arya News - When Kinley Zam learned that her five-year-old daughter had a high level of lead in her blood, she began looking more closely at the things her child ate, touched, and played with at home.
THIMPHU – When Kinley Zam learned that her five-year-old daughter had a high level of lead in her blood, she began looking more closely at the things her child ate, touched, and played with at home.
Her daughter, Sonam Tshoki, was found to have a blood lead level of 31 micrograms per decilitre during a check-up at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in April 2024.
A follow-up test later showed the level had dropped significantly to 4.8 micrograms per decilitre, below the World Health Organization’s reference value of five micrograms per decilitre.
However, there is no known safe level of lead in a child’s blood, making continued prevention essential.
Kinley Zam said she changed her family’s daily habits, including improving her daughter’s diet, washing hands more carefully, and removing cookware and toys found to contain lead during household testing.
“Before, my child did not eat well and ate junk food. Now she is eating better and washing her hands by herself,” she said. “As parents, we always worry about our children.”
Her experience highlights a risk that families may not notice. Lead exposure often causes no visible symptoms, but it can harm a child’s developing brain and affect learning. Young children are particularly vulnerable because they absorb more lead than adults.
Bhutan’s first National Blood Lead Level Survey, conducted in 2024, found that 75.9 per cent of children aged one to six had blood lead levels at or above 3.5 micrograms per decilitre, the reference level used in the survey.
Testing of household and environmental items also found lead in some commonly used products, including cookware, cups, spices, toys, cosmetics, and religious items such as prayer beads. However, this does not mean all products of these types contain lead, but it shows that potential sources exist in everyday surroundings.
Small changes at home can help
A Research Specialist at the Medical Education Centre for Research, Innovation and Training at the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Dr Phillip Erbele, said handwashing and good nutrition were among the most practical steps families could take to reduce lead absorption.
Children should wash their hands with soap and water before eating, especially after playing with toys or in areas where dust and soil may contain lead. Toys and play areas should be cleaned regularly with a damp cloth or through wet cleaning, rather than dry sweeping, which can spread dust.
A balanced diet also matters. Foods rich in iron and calcium, including meat, beans, pulses, green leafy vegetables, and dairy products, can help reduce the amount of lead the body absorbs. Good nutrition does not remove lead from the environment, so families should also try to identify and avoid its sources.
Some aluminium cookware has been found to contain lead.
Dr Phillip Erbele advised people using such cookware to avoid storing food in it, particularly acidic dishes made with ingredients such as tomatoes, because acidity can draw more lead from the cookware.
Parents should also be cautious about toys and other products that have not been tested. The presence of lead in some tested items does not mean all colourful toys or aluminium pots are unsafe.
Families cannot solve the problem alone
The Ministry of Health and UNICEF Bhutan recently brought together more than 200 representatives from manufacturing and industrial enterprises in Thimphu to discuss reducing lead risks in products, workplaces, and communities.
More than 300 primary health workers have also been trained on environmental health risks, including lead exposure. The National Lead Poisoning Prevention Strategy has been endorsed by the Prime Minister’s Office.
An official from the health ministry said, “Awareness and targeted interventions are making a difference, but they alone cannot end lead exposure.”
The National Framework for the Prevention and Control of Lead Exposure in Bhutan is in process, and the Ministry of Health will submit it to the Cabinet for endorsement. The ministry will continue awareness on behaviour alongside these efforts.
While stronger product testing and regulation are needed, families do not have to wait to take precautions. Washing hands with soap, keeping play areas clean, providing nutritious meals, and being alert to possible sources of lead can help reduce children’s exposure.