KUMASI: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has initiated a program in collaboration with the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate to train healthcare workers on preventing lead poisoning. This effort aligns with Ghana's participation in International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW), which aims to raise awareness about the dangers of lead exposure, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women. According to Ghana News Agency, the 2024 ILPPW, observed from October 20 to October 26, carries the theme "Bright Futures Begin Lead Free." The World Health Organization (WHO) dedicates a week in October each year to emphasize the health risks associated with lead and to encourage global efforts to reduce childhood exposure and eliminate the use of lead in products like paint. UNICEF reports that globally, one in three children have elevated blood lead levels, with more than half of these cases occurring in lower-income countries. In Ghana, approximately 1.7 million children a re estimated to have blood lead levels above the concerning threshold of five micrograms per deciliter. In response, UNICEF Ghana supports the training of various healthcare professionals, including clinicians, midwives, and community health nurses, to educate the public on the dangers of heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng, the Regional Director of Health Services, emphasized that the training is a critical component of a broader strategy to reduce lead exposure in children through public education. The initiative aims to provide healthcare workers with the necessary information to effectively educate the communities they serve.