Indira Zhakipova, Programme Manager, Ekois-Bishkek, and Pure Earth consultant, was honored with an award from the Kyrgyzstan Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance “For Special Merit and Excellence in Public Health,” recognizing Zhakipova’s work advancing public health in Kyrgyzstan.
Zhakipova leads Pure Earth’s work in Kyrgyzstan as part of the Strengthening Health Systems to Reduce Lead Exposure project, a partnership between Pure Earth, Ekois-Bishkek, and the Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Health. Supported by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., the project has been implementing blood lead level surveillance programs to understand the prevalence and severity of childhood lead exposure in Kyrgyzstan and 4 other participating countries.
Leaders in the Kyrgyzstan Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance recognized this project for being the first to raise the important issue of lead poisoning in children in Kyrgyzstan and for making a significant contribution toward addressing the issue.
“I am honored to be recognized with this award and proud to be part of this project that has helped place childhood lead poisoning on the national agenda and laid the groundwork for stronger prevention and health surveillance systems to protect future generations,” said Indira Zhakipova.
Indira Zhakipova receiving the award “For Special Merit and Excellence in Public Health.”
Zhakipova is an experienced environmental health professional and has been working in partnership with Pure Earth since 2012. In previous projects in Kyrgyzstan, Pure Earth supported the surveillance of approximately 50 contaminated sites and implemented several projects addressing heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and radiation safety. Zhakipova is a member of the Environmental Health and Pollution Management Institute (EHPMI), an organization bringing together environmental health professionals to address pollution in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The EHPMI team includes many environmental health experts who met while working as country directors and coordinators for Pure Earth in the region.
Under Zhakipova’s leadership, the “Strengthening Health Systems to Reduce Lead Exposure” project has achieved major advances in addressing childhood lead poisoning in Kyrgyzstan. The team supported the national government in launching the county’s first national blood lead survey. The survey tested blood lead levels of 1,103 and conducted 188 home assessments. Findings from the survey revealed lead paint up to 202 times above the safe limit. Additionally, a national reference lab with ICP-MS technology is being established with Pure Earth’s technical support. This lab will be the first in the region to have this technology, a milestone achievement in advancing health surveillance in Kyrgyzstan.
The project is also engaged in outreach and community education efforts to raise awareness on the risks and exposure sources for lead. Their outreach efforts include programming to instruct families, children, and educators on how to prevent lead exposures.
Watch to learn more about our work in Kyrgyzstan
In addition to Kyrgyzstan, the Strengthening Health Systems to Reduce Lead Exposure project is partnering with Ministries of Health to strengthen government capacity to address lead exposures in Colombia, India, Indonesia, Maharashtra (India), and Peru. By enhancing clinical education and guidelines, strengthening health surveillance technology, and educating teachers and parents on the dangers of lead, countries will be able to better protect children and future generations from lead poisoning.
Learn more about the project at https://reduceleadexposure.org/
