The Clark County Board of Health wants to eventually increase lead testing across the county, especially within low-income communities. “It’s our role as a Board of Health to identify risks within our community,” county Council Chair Gary Medvigy said during Wednesday’s monthly Board of Health meeting. “Widespread education, widespread testing — that’s our role.
” The Clark County Council, which also serves as the county Board of Health, heard from Public Health officials about the effects of lead and how the county protects against it. Lead is a naturally occurring element that is toxic when it enters the human body. Public Health’s hazard assessment program, which began in 2009, works in partnership with health providers to identify lead exposure cases, test for lead in the home, and provide education and guidance about prevention.
Bryan DeDoncker, environmental health specialist with the county program, said there is no safe level of lead for the human body. “Lead is not recognized by the body as a foreign substance. In fact, it actually acts incognito competing with essential minerals like calcium, iron and zinc, making it easily absorbed, especially in people with mineral deficiencies,” DeDoncker said during the meeting.
“The importance of lead screening in children cannot be stressed enough.” Clark County has an average of 20 lead exposure cases per year, and accounts for 3 percent of all cases statewide, DeDoncker said. Cases of elevated blood-.