Peixin Kindergarten in Maiji district, Tianshui city, Northwest China's Gansu Province Photo: CCTV

After the illegal use of additives led to abnormal blood lead levels in some kindergarten children in Northwest China's Gansu Province, authority released investigation result on Sunday, saying that the lead content in the kindergarten meals severely exceeds standards. Six people have been arrested and 17 people are under investigation.

As of 12:00 on Sunday, all 247 children with abnormal blood lead levels have received either inpatient treatment or home nutritional intervention. Among the 235 hospitalized, 234 have completed the first treatment phase and have been discharged.

On July 12, Gansu authorities established an investigation team made up of provincial officials and experts from Ministry of Ecology and Environment and National Health Commission to conduct a higher-level investigation into the abnormal blood lead levels among children at Heshi Peixin Kindergarten in Maiji district of Tianshui city.

Ten government officials have been held accountable, including the director of Gansu Provincial Health Commission, the director of Gansu Provincial Bureau for Disease Control, the Party chief of Tianshui, the mayor of Tianshui, the Party chief of Maiji, and the district head of Maiji.

The 17 people under investigation include the head of Maiji Education Bureau, the head of Maiji Market Regulation Bureau, the Party chief and the director from Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control, the director and the deputy director of the Second People's Hospital of Tianshui.

The investigation found that officials from local education departments are suspected of accepting benefits from the kindergarten's investor surnamed Li. The quarterly food safety inspections at the kindergarten are merely formalities, failing to detect the illegal use of additives.

After accepting the emergency task of blood lead testing for the kindergarten, Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control seriously violated operational procedures, resulting in severely distorted test results. They later evaded responsibility and obstructed the investigation in various ways, said the investigation report.

Meanwhile, the internal management of the Second People's Hospital of Tianshui was found to be chaotic, with its laboratory department illegally modifying the blood lead test data.

Gansu Provincial Hospital will take full management of the Second People's Hospital of Tianshui in order to comprehensively improve the medical and health service level, Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday. A total of 36 provincial-level experts in pediatrics, toxicology, gastroenterology, mental health, and laboratory testing will be assigned there with newly bought latest domestic blood lead testing equipment to guarantee rapid and accurate blood lead tests.

The investigation confirmed the kindergarten purchased red, yellow, and green pigments online and mixed them into flour to make corn rolls and three-color red date cakes, resulting in severely excessive lead content. The lead content in the corn rolls and three-color red date cakes was 1340 mg/kg and 1052 mg/kg, respectively.

The investigation team collected samples of surface water, groundwater and soil to test if the surrounding environment of the kindergarten was contaminated. The results showed that the lead concentrations in the surface water, groundwater, and soil around the kindergarten all met relevant environmental quality standards, with no lead contamination detected.

All the 251 children and 34 staff members of the kindergarten underwent blood lead testing. Among them, 247 children and 28 staff members have abnormal blood lead levels.

Among the 247 children with abnormal blood lead levels, 235 were hospitalized, of which 234 have completed the first treatment phase and been discharged. According to the expert group's assessment, the average blood lead levels after treatment have decreased by 40.21 percent, achieving the expected treatment results.

Gansu authorities said they will thoroughly investigate the departments and personnel involved, stressing to strengthen the daily supervision and inspection of food safety in schools and to carry out a focused rectification of the medical and health system.

Global Times