Health Updates Webinar #289 (Lead, Mercury, Pesticides: Panganib ba sa mga bata? Environmental Hazards)

The University of the Philippines,
in partnership with the UP Manila – National Institutes of Health,
and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital and UP College of Medicine,
would like to invite you to attend this webinar!

Registration slots are limited to this HEALTH UPDATES webinar
So sign up NOW:
bit.ly/HealthUpdatesWebinar289

Webinar #289
June 26, 2026 (Friday), 12:00 noon
Lead, Mercury, Pesticides: “Panganib Ba Sa Mga Bata?”
Environmental Hazards

Presenter:
Dr. Desiree Raquel Montecillo-Narvaez
Environmental Health Specialist
Health Section, Programme Division, UNICEF, New York, NY, USA

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Webinar #289
June 26, 2026 (Friday), 12:00 noon
Lead, Mercury, Pesticides: “Panganib Ba Sa Mga Bata?”
Environmental Hazards

In an era of rapid industrialization and shifting ecological dynamics, frontline healthcare professionals and community stakeholders stand as the primary shield against the insidious onset of environmental toxicities, especially with the modern landscape being increasingly challenged by subtle, chronic presentations of exposure to heavy metals and synthetic chemical compounds. These are contaminants that seamlessly infiltrate daily life.

Recognizing the early, often ambiguous biomarkers of chronic exposure is vital to preventing irreversible systemic damage. In this week’s episode, we will discuss the cellular and systemic mechanisms of xenobiotic accumulation by exploring how lead induces neurotoxicity and hematological disruption, how methylmercury targets the central nervous system, and how organophosphate and carbamate pesticides disrupt endocrine and enzymatic functions.

We will also demystify the complex pathophysiological pathways of premier environmental hazards, specifically focusing on the pervasive threats of lead, mercury, and agricultural pesticides. We will bridge the gap between bench science and bedside or community intervention by translating sophisticated toxicological data into actionable clinical and public health strategies.

Attendees will learn how to identify local environmental reservoirs and champion risk-reduction strategies and will be equipped with an advanced understanding of environmental toxicology, a renewed vigilance for subclinical poisoning, and practical, culturally contextualized frameworks to mitigate toxic exposures within Philippine communities.

Our speaker is Dr. Desiree Raquel Montecillo-Narvaez from the Health Section, Programme Division of the UNICEF headquarters in New York, NY, USA.

Join us in this pivotal discourse to safeguard public health.