Patient Public Involvement (PPI) event on kidney health related problems in migrant workers

Summary: Patient Public Involvement (PPI) event on kidney health related problems in migrant workers in Malaysia (completed)

Nepali media often report a high prevalence of kidney diseases in returnee Nepali migrant workers from different countries, most of them being from Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC) and Malaysia. It is unknown if these reportedly high kidney health related problems are due to the natural rise in number in a country with over 3.5 million international migrant workers or they are actually at higher risk than general Nepali population due to the working and living conditions abroad. In the recent years, evidence is emerging that chronic or repeated episodes of heat stress accompanied by strenuous work and dehydration may trigger pre-renal acute kidney injury (AKI) that might eventually progress to chronic kidney disease (CKD). This phenomenon has been mainly attributed for disproportionately higher CKD rates in labor workers in Central America, America, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and in other countries. The vast majority of around 20 million migrant workers in Arab states and Malaysia including Nepali work in a searing heat with intense physical exertion with less opportunity of regular rehydration. Thus, we speculate that this working condition may pose them at high risk of kidney injuries and subsequent CKD.

The proposed PPI activity is targeted to Malaysia-based Nepali migrant workers, migrant health researchers/professionals, and other key stakeholders working for migrants including relevant ministries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Malaysia has the largest number of Nepali migrant workers (around 0.4 million through legal channel) than elsewhere. This PPI aims (i) to discuss on kidney health related problems among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia, its triggers and need for research on it; (ii) to heed the voice of migrant workers on proposed research components and methods; and (iii) to solicit their participation (e.g., joint lead in future research grants) at all stages of future research.

Relevant publication: Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Faller, E.M., van Teijlingen, E., Khoon, C.C., Pereira, A. and Simkhada, P., 2019 Sudden cardiac death and kidney health related problems among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 9 (3), 788-791

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