Meeting of the UNEP Advisory group on Endocrine Disrupting Chemical,Geneva, September 2015 Caroline N. Wamai Senior Principal Chemist Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure

Content 1.Background 2.Current Situation 3.Priority Action for Africa 4. Regional Approaches 5. Challenges to Address 6. Regional 7. Conclusion and Recommendation

Background Resolution III/2 of ICCM3 agreed that international cooperation is necessary to build awareness, understanding and promote actions on EDCs as an emerging policy issue; Recognized the current knowledge gaps on exposure to and the effects of EDCs Also recognized the current difficulties faced by developing countries especially in Africa in mobilizing the resources required to tackle EDCs as an emerging policy issue Decided to implement cooperative actions on endocrine-disrupting chemicals with the overall objective of increasing awareness and understanding among policymakers and other stakeholders.

Cont… According to WHO report on Chemicals of Public Health Concern and their Management in Africa 2014 report, most of the African countries intensively use chemicals reported to be EDCs These include pesticides, industrial POPs and un intentionally produced POPs e.g. dioxins and furans During the second SAICM OEWG and the upcoming ICCM4 the African voice is very strong on EDCs as regards the healthy strategy and actions called on highly hazardous pesticide. Also the region has organized the first African Conference on the effects of EDCs that will provide discussions on the challenges facing developing nations in Africa

Priority Actions for Africa Many adhoc studies and decisions have been linked to EDCs in Africa, yet lacks coherence. Such coherence may be brought by the following: Elaboration of a regional strategy for management of chemicals identified in the WHO report. The chemicals include industrial POPs such as PCBs and plastics Also many African countries such as Kenya, S. Africa, Nigeria amongst others are now systematically collecting data and statistics related to negative health impacts attributed to EDCs There is therefore need to link the science and the observed increased prevalence of diseases such as cancers especially breast cancer and reproductive abnormalities to EDCs

Regional Approaches Having considered the various consultations taking place in the last 12 months in Africa such as recent regional reports, countries annual statistics and scientific forums the issues that touch on EDCs can be summarized as follows; The potential risks to humans and wildlife posed by EDCs have not been adequately addressed to date regionally and nationally. The health sector, policy makers and the public are paying more attention to health related issue related to EDCs because of high incidences of non-communicable diseases. There is scattered information on exposures

Cont…. Such diseases include and diabetes, cancers which in Kenya causes 22,000 deaths annually according to the Ministry of Health Strategy 2014, Others include diabetes, asthma and kidney diseases amongst others However data information is still very managed at institutional and sector level e.g. department of endocrinology will rarely share information and data

Challenges to Address Comprehensive exposure studies are very costly and are often constrained by limited resources and ethical considerations. Identification and listing of known and potential endocrine disrupting chemicals Sources of exposure for African countries including, inter alia, products, food, water, wastes and pesticides Inadequate Survey of bio-monitoring and other available information regarding current levels of exposure and information gaps; Dissemination of best practices in order to reduce use and exposure Introduction and promotion of safer alternatives

Regional Specific actions required Need to develop better regional data, especially in african countries, on status of EDCs vis a vis trends of environmental contamination, exposure, and health outcomes. Improve international coordination for sharing of information on effects caused by endocrine disruption. Sub regional Coordinated efforts and mechanisms need to be established to prioritize monitoring and collection of exposure data and to ensure comparability of data. Recognized the challenges faced by developing countries in mobilizing the resources required to tackle endocrine-disrupting chemicals as an emerging policy issue Reduce exposure to EDCs by clear labelling and disclosure of chemical components of products especially in agricultural industry

Cont… Develop, introduce and promote policies, guidelines and practices that adequately address regulation of EDCs Reduce exposure to EDCs by clear labeling and exposure of chemical components in products especially in agriculture industry increasing awareness and understanding among policymakers scientists, doctors and other stakeholders. UNEP, WHO and other international and national to continue to play catalytically role in harmonizing intersect oral actions on EDCs

ASANTE SANA