Middle East sand and dust storm: Health risks amongst migrant workers
Lt Col Nazmul Huda Khan, MBBS, MPH, MPhil :
Bangladesh has emerged as a major source of migrant workforce and accounted for around 15 million migrant workers in about 174 countries worldwide; out of which three -fourth are employed in Middle East countries. The major destinations are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait and Lebanon. Of them, Saudi Arabia always sits at the top. In spite of their sweats and sufferings, they are sending remittances those keeping our country’s reserve moving and contributing more than 12 per cent of our GDP. The amount of remittances only in 2021 was BDT one lac 89 thousand and 367 crore. Half of the total remittances comes from one country, Saudi Arabia. The United States of America (USA) has become the second largest remittance-sending country. Kuwait and the UAE are third and fourth respectively.
Statistics reveal that, Bangladeshis who come to the Middle East are primarily day labourers. A significant number of Bangladeshi overseas workers face different pattern of health hazards abroad. These arise from a number of sources including unsafe workplace, unhygienic accommodation, low calorie intake and even mental and psychological trauma from social displacement. They are frequently subjected to dirty, dangerous and degrading working conditions. Largely they are employed in outdoor work places e.g., deserts, construction sites, roads and highways etc.
The largest areas of the Middle East are with high dust intensities, mainly in a broad “dust belt”. Nine of the ten most water-poor countries are in the Middle East; immersed in the consequences of global climate change. Due to geo-climatic reasons, sand and dust storm (SDS) is common in the gulf region occurs predominantly in the spring and summer seasons particularly from May to October for about six months in a year. It is another dangerous health risk factor amongst the labour force of Bangladesh and other countries as well.
The frequency of dust storms in Saudi Arabia on an average more than 100 in a year and in every month, a minimum of 3 to 5 dust storms occurs. Every year, an estimated 2,000 million tons of dust is emitted into the atmosphere worldwide, of which lion share from the gulf region. About 75 per cent of global dust emissions come from natural sources. Other 25 per cent are mainly generated by human-induced factors, especially unsustainable land and water management, population growth, resource extraction, desert tourism and desert as military testing sites etc. create pressures on deserts. Historically there are many examples of collapses of desert societies through salinization as a result of irrigation schemes or water overuse.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) notes that, SDS present a significant health risk, especially to the young and elderly. The prime mechanism of adverse events of dusts of SDS is through entering the blood stream. In addition, dust particles can transport various harmful combinations of pollutants, spores, bacteria, fungi and potential allergens carried along with dusts; making SDS a possible contributing factor in the incidence of epidemics among the exposed.
Exposure to dust particulates irritates the respiratory tract and is associated with respiratory disorders, such as asthma, tracheitis, pneumonia, aspergillosis, allergic rhinitis and nonindustrial silicosis, known as “desert lung” syndrome. Dust can cause or aggravate diseases such as bronchitis, emphysema, cardiovascular disorders, eye infections, skin irritations, meningococcal meningitis, valley fever and diseases associated with toxic algal blooms.
SDS has indirect impacts on health through various ways and means. Poor visibility, sand movement and deposition as a result of SDS also increase incidences of road accidents and aviation hazards. Disruption of communications, transportation and supply chain infrastructures are tangible effects of SDS. It can result in removal of fertile top soils, directly damage crops and kill livestock, increasing costs of food production and threatening sustainability of production. Economic losses from a single SDS event can be in the order of hundreds of million dollars. In the Middle East and North Africa, about $13 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are lost every year due to dust storms. The World Health Organization estimates that seven million people die from poor air quality every year largely due to SDS.
Dust deposition has few positive environmental impacts too. Dust affects the earth’s radiative balance and modifies tropical cyclones. Dust provides nutrients to terrestrial ecosystems and ocean surface waters and the seabed, which boosts phytoplankton growth. Similarly, Hawaiian rain forests receive nutrient inputs from dust from central Asia.
Policy framework and strategic actions for mitigating SDS at national and international level are in vogue. The health and environmental hazards of such storms cannot be reduced permanently. Improving public awareness of SDS impacts can improve the uptake of warning messages and the overall adoption of impact mitigation measures. Precautionary measures should be taken for vulnerable population group such as children, elderly and sick people. Dust masks having ability to filter out small particles and contaminants e.g., N95 or KN95 are proved to be effective; hence, mask should be used during the dust storms. Wet towel or tissue on the nose and mouth during the SDS are useful. Proper cleaning of face, nose and mouth frequently assist to prevent dust entering into lungs. Air-conditioning systems and air filter units are effective to increase air filtering and to reduce dust loads. Wet mopping floors and washing clothes exposed to sand and dust can reduce secondary entrapment. Doors and windows need to be closed tightly; curtains should be putting up to restrict entry of dusts and sands. Limit and restrict outdoor activities and stay inside the house during SDS.
(The writer is deputed to Kuwait armed forces).
