Lead in paint: Three decades later and still a hazard for African children?

Background: Surveys undertaken in South Africa have shown that a large proportion of children are exposed to lead from a variety of sources. Objectives: The overall objective of this work was to examine, through a series of small-scale investigations, the role of lead-based paint in the blood lead distribution of South African children. Discussion: We suggest that the African public health community strengthen their efforts to prevent lead poisoning in African children through a holistic approach that includes the promulgation and enforcement of appropriate legislation as well as research to identify further sources of exposure to lead.