Migrant work in heat and health - a study in Nepal with focus on kidney disese

Epidemics of Chronic Kidney Disease of non-traditional origin (CKDnT) occur globally in manual workers in hot climates. The causes are multifactorial, but occupational heat stress is an important driver.

In addition, the increasing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in countries in transition poses a double burden of risks for CKD.Heat impacts mortality among migrant workers and thousands have been reported dying in Qatar alone while working on the World Cup construction sites.

Nepalese clinicians have identified CKDnT as an emerging problem among young men returning from work in the Gulf States, India and Malaysia.

Without documentation of the disease and its relation to work abroad, there is no basis with which to address the needs of those affected.Working with the Nepal Development Society, a research NGO in Nepal, we aim toCompare the distribution of eGFR and the prevalence and determinants of CKD and CKDnT among migrants and non-migrantsEstimate the economic and social impact of kidney disease on individuals, families, communities and health systemsDevelop and distribute education materials for preventing heat-related ill-health among migrants and their familiesClimate change and the precarity of migratory work threaten to increase the incidence of a disease that is expensive to treat.

Nepal has an economy dependent on remittances and its health system cannot absorb the burden of dialysis treatment and subsequent lost productivity. This makes prevention paramount.