November 2026 Journal of Environmental Health

FIGURE 1

Blood Lead Levels of Different Population Groups in Ethiopia

3.5 µg/dl

Preschool Children

Women Living Far From Highway

Automotive Garage Workers, Jima

Automotive Garage Workers (City Bus) Addis Ababa

Women Living Near Highway

Construction Workers (Men)

Construction Workers (Women)

Blood Sample Sources

Note. Values were summarized from published literature (Abebe et al., 2024; Adela et al., 2012; Awealom et al., 2012; Chercos & Moges, 2016; Gebrie et al., 2014). The red line indicates the reference value for lead from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Coalition to Promote Advocacy, Public–Private Engagement, and Funding In January 2024, the U.S. Embassy convened more than 40 interested parties for an informal discussion of 1) existing efforts on lead expo- sure prevention, 2) perceived threats to vulner- able populations, 3) areas for collaboration and coordination, and 4) next steps in build- ing an Ethiopian coalition. This initial meeting resulted in the formation of an Ethiopian Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition, which met on a quarterly basis to prioritize and coordinate efforts to address lead mitigation and preven- tion efforts. This multisectoral interagency coalition included the Ethiopian government, U.S. Embassy, United Nations (UN) agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and

repeated exposure add to the likely negative impact on the health and well-being of peo- ple in Ethiopia. Limited systematic efforts exist to solidify an intersectoral body that addresses preven- tion from a maternal and child health per- spective or from an environmental health perspective. Our case study highlights the actions taken and initial benefits from the formation of the lead prevention technical working group and subsequent broad coali- tion, which provided the necessary data and advocacy for Ethiopia to engage further in national and international lead exposure pre- vention efforts. We mention practical steps that other African nations can adopt to foster collaboration between government and civil society for lead mitigation and prevention.

individuals from the private sector and aca- demia. The coalition expanded to include more than 10 Ethiopian ministries, development and assistance partners, and civil organizations. The creation of an Ethiopian Lead Poison- ing Prevention Coalition laid the foundation for prevention and mitigation efforts, and a platform for advocacy across government sec- tors. Prior mapping by GIZ and PAN-Ethio- pia identified relevant government entities involved in lead poisoning prevention, which enabled their inclusion. In September 2024, Ethiopia became one of the first of 20 countries to sign the USAID and UNICEF PLF and participated in the signing ceremony at the UN General Assembly. This commitment brought additional funding to Ethiopia, now better poised to make national

November 2026 • Journal of Environmental Health