Let us Lead the Change End Childhood Lead Poisoning Campaign

The WHO's International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) campaign takes place annually in October to raise awareness about the dangers of lead exposure and highlight efforts to prevent it, especially in children. The World Health Organization (WHO) chose HERA to lead the ILPPW this year in Lebanon. The ILPPW took place from the 22nd to the 28th of October 2023. The campaign aims to take action to eliminate and/or reduce lead exposure sources and work for a healthier, lead-free world. This Week is part of the ongoing efforts of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint, a joint initiative led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the WHO. This week aims to raise awareness about the health impacts of lead exposure, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women. Under the slogan “Let us Lead the Change”, HERA organized the "End Childhood Lead Poisoning" campaign, with certain activities beginning approximately two weeks prior to the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) to lay the foundation for the campaign's success. Intervention at Hotel Dieu de France : Between October 9 and 16, 2023, educational awareness sessions were held for physicians, nurses, midwives, and healthcare professionals working in both the Maternity and Pediatrics departments at Hotel Dieu de France Hospital (HDF) – Beirut. These sessions provided insights on lead sources, health implications, preventive strategies, and effective methods for communicating health-related messages to patients. Around 50 physicians and healthcare workers were reached during the sessions. Additionally, promotional materials such as posters, roll-up banners, and booklets were distributed to healthcare staff and prominently showcased within the hospital premises. More than 600 booklets were distributed by Hotel Dieu de France Hospital staff to patients visiting both the Pediatrics and Maternity departments. Intervention at ABC mall Achrafiyeh : On October 20th and 21st, 2023, HERA set up a booth at ABC Mall in Achrafieh - Beirut. The primary goal was to raise awareness among the general population regarding lead exposure and its impact on health, with a particular focus on reaching pregnant women, children, infants, and parents. The booth featured informative posters and educational games. HERA's team was present to engage in various activities at the booth, and the booklets were distributed to visitors. To facilitate a clear understanding of the message for the children, HERA’s team created interactive educational games. To address the health effects, our team designed a mascot with drawings of the lead-affected organs. The approach HERA adopted narrated the story of "HERO," the campaign mascot, and the symptoms he experienced when exposed to lead. The exposures sources were communicated via an educational game where different items should be classified as hazardous or not. Furthermore, a colorful mat designed to explain the sources and health impacts of lead was established with the intention of captivating children's interest and stimulating their sensory experiences, ensuring effective message assimilation. Over 1000 individuals visited our booth, actively engaging with our content and posing numerous questions. HERA's booth design was purposely appealing to both parents and children, utilizing non-painted wood and environmentally friendly, non-hazardous materials. The campaign at ABC Mall proved to be highly successful as HERA was able to attract the interest of more schools and organizations eager to participate in the campaign. Intervention at the University of Balamand, Faculty of Health Sciences: On the 23rd of October 2023, the “4 Development Club” student club, under the Department of Public Health, at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Balamand (UOB) – Dekweneh campus, in collaboration with HERA, conducted an activity day for the faculty of health sciences students to raise awareness for future healthcare workers about lead exposure and its effect on health. Around 100 students were targeted by this intervention. Media campaign: Furthermore, an informative video, featuring health messages from the Lebanese Minister of Public Health, Dr. Georges Abi Tayeh, and Dr. Myriam Mrda, co-founders of HERA NGO was created and broadcast on multiple Lebanese television channels and will continue to be aired on for 4 weeks. Additionally, a social media campaign was initiated, with daily posts and reels scheduled for the entire week. After implementing a six-week boost, the campaign achieved remarkable results on Instagram. Press conference at the Ministry of Public Health: On the 25th of October 2023, HERA, under the patronage of the Ministry of Public Health and in collaboration with WHO, organized a press conference at the Ministry of Public Health – Beirut in the presence of the Minister of Public Health, H.E. Dr. Firas Abyad, Eng. Mazen Malkawi, WHO - CEHA, Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO Representative in Lebanon, and other ministries and key entities in the country. More than 30 people from stakeholders, students, physicians, and healthcare workers attended the press conference. Schools’ interventions: On October 26th and 27th, 2023, HERA carried out educational initiatives in schools within Beirut area to raise awareness about lead exposure and its health implications among school children. The HERA team conducted informative sessions and engaged students in interactive educational games at three different schools. To deliver the message and information is a clear and comprehensive way to children, a PowerPoint presentation was prepared using infographics to target school children. The first session was held at Collège Notre Dame de Nazareth (NDN), where over 300 students participated, and approximately 700 booklets were distributed to the children. The second intervention occurred at College de la Sagesse, Achrafieh, with more than 100 students attended the session, and over 500 booklets were handed out to children. The last intervention took place at Collège des Soeurs des Saints Coeurs Sioufi, targeting 100 students, and distributing more than 500 booklets. Additionally, booklets were also provided to nurseries in the region as part of the awareness campaign.