Pahle India Foundation Makes Historic Debut at United Nations General Assembly

New Delhi:  Pahle India Foundation (PIF) has said it is honoured and humbled to have participated in the Global Consortium: Partnership for a Lead-Free Future, a game-changing initiative launched at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York today. 

Pahle India is the only organisation from India amongst the 37 global organisations to be a part of the “Partnership for a Lead Free Future” consortium.

This newly formed Global Consortium, initiated by USAID and UNICEF with support from a cross-section of philanthropies, aims to address the pressing issue of lead poisoning, a silent killer that threatens the health of millions of children worldwide. PIF’s involvement in the initiative underscores its commitment to protecting the health of children, particularly in India, where 275 million children are exposed to unacceptably high levels of lead (Pb).

Dr Indu Bhushan, Founder-CEO of Ayushman Bharat and former Head of India’s National Health Authority, represented PIF – where he is Distinguished Fellow and leads the public health vertical – at the UNGA. He said: “We are deeply honoured to be part of the global initiative to combat lead poisoning. This recognition is a testament to our efforts to protect the health of millions, especially children and pregnant mothers, in India. We are committed to working with the global community to create a lead-free future for generations to come.”

Dr Bhushan has, in his capacity as Chair of the India Working Group (IWG) on Lead Poisoning of which PIF acts as the Secretariat, led the national effort to mitigate lead poisoning in the country, leveraging his expertise in public health research, intervention, convening, and advocacy.

Pahle India Foundation, a home-grown not-for-profit policy research institute, has been at the forefront of addressing the scourge of lead poisoning in India. Founded and headed by Dr Rajiv Kumar, former Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, PIF, under his visionary guidance, has committed itself to mitigating and eventually eliminating this critical public health challenge which impacts the most vulnerable disproportionately.

PIF’s participation in the Global Consortium marks a significant step forward in the fight against lead poisoning. By joining forces with international partners, PIF aims to accelerate progress in reducing lead exposure and ensuring a healthier future for India.