Building Capacity to Reduce Arsenicosis in Bangladesh

Columbia University Health Sciences, New York NY

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION. State the application's broad, long-term objectives and specific aims, making reference to the health relatedness of the project. Describe concisely the research design and methods for achieving these goals. Avoid summaries of past accomplishments and the use of the first person. This description is meant to serve as a succinct and accurate description of the proposed work when separated from the application. If the application is funded, this description, as is, will become public information. Therefore, do not include proprietary/confidential information. DO NOT EXCEED THE SPACE PROVIDED. This proposalis submitted in responseto RFATW-01-002, entitled International Training and Research in Environmenta1 and Occupational Health. During the 1960s and 1970s, UNICEFinstalledseveral million tube-wells inBangladesh topreven water-borne diseases that had been major causes of morbidity and mortality. Today, approximately 10 million wells arei: existence. A staggering epidemic of arsenicosis, due to naturally occurring high concentrations of As in tube-well water, w discovered in Bangladesh, in 1993. An estimated 25-30 million people are chronically exposed to As contaminated wat in Bangladesh, thousands of whom are already experiencing the devastating syndrome of arsenicosis, with arsenic-induce^ skin lesions, skin and other internal cancers, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In some regions of Bangladesh, moretha: 0% of the tube wells are contaminated, with arsenic concentrations more than 30 times the allowable 50 ug/L limit in angladesh. To address this complex environmental health problem, Columbia University is heavily involved in multi-disciplinary research (public health, earth science, and social science) in Bangladesh with well established local partnerships, including the Bangladesh National Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Dhaka University, and other institutions. We propose icrein a multi-disciplinary Training Program to build capacity to reduce arsenicosis in Bangladesh. A multi-disciplinary training program is sorely needed, as the academic infrastructure of Bangladesh is not sufficiently equipped to deal with tha complex, overwhelming problems associated with massive As contamination of tube wells. The proposed program would! train four pre- and four post-doctoral Bangladeshi scientists in environmental health, environmental epidemiology, earth science or social science in a research environment that is already highly multi-disciplinary and closely knit. The Program will be monitored by the success of its trainees, the positions they take up in Bangladesh, the roles they play inimplementing sound policies to deal with the As crisis, and their level of success in publishing important research findings. The Program will be provided under the watchful guidance of Steering and Executive Committees which have a balance in disciplinary and country representation. PERFORMANCE SITE(S) (organization, city, state) Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, ColumbiaUniversity Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, ColumbiaUniversity New York State Psychiatric Institute Henry Krumb School of Mines, ColumbiaUniversity National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine Dhaka University, Geology Department New York, New York Palisades, New York New York, New York New York, New York Dhaka, Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh KEY PERSONNEL. See instructions on Page 11. Use continuation pages as needed'to provide the required information in the format shown below. Role on Project Name TF = Training Faculty Organization Graziano, Joseph H. Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, C.U. PJ.JDir., Exec. Comm., T.F. van Geen, Alexander Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, C.U. Co-P.L, Co-Dir., Exec. Comm., T.F. O'Flaherty, Brendan Sch. Of International & Pub. Affairs, C.U. Co-Director, Exec. Comm. Adams, Alayne Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, C.U. Steering Commitee,T.F. Ahsan, Habibul Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, C.U. Steering Committee,T.F. Brandt-Rauf, Paul W. Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health,C.U. Executive Committee,T.F. Durkin, Maureen Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, C.U. Steering Committee,T.F. Factor-Litvak, Pam Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, C.U. Training Faculty Gamble, Mary Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, C.U. Training Faculty Hei, Tom Radiation Oncology and Mailman Sch. Of Pub. Health,CU Training Faculty Howe, Geoffrey Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, C.U. Training Faculty Madajewicz, Malgosia Economics and Sch. Of Iternat. & Pub. Affairs, C.U. Steering Committee,T.F. PHS 398 (Rev. 4/98) Page 2 Number pages consecutively at the bottom throughout the application. Do not use suffixes such as 3a, 3b. TF = Training Faculty GRAZIANO, Joseph H. Pfaff,Alex Santella, Regina M. Schlosser, Peter Simpson, H. James Sleekier, Michael Stute, Martin Tsai, Wei-Yann Versteeg, Roelof Zheng, Yan In Bangladesh: Hussein, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kazi Matin Nishat, Ainuni Ahmed, Feroze Alam, Mustafa Ali, Suhrab Bhuiyan, NJ Faisal, IM Hanm-Ar-Rashid Hoque, Monirul Hossain, Alamgir Imam, Badrul Islam, Nazrul Khan, Abdul Wadud Kahn, A Alam Mahmud, Simeen Rahman, Mizanur PHS 398 (Rev. 4/98) Number pages consecutively Economics and Sch.Of Iternat. & Pub.Affairs, C.U. Jospeh L. Mailman School of Public Health Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory,C.U. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory,C.U. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory,C.U. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory,C.U. Jospeh L. Mailman School of Public Health Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory,C.U. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, C.U. National Institute of Social & Preventive Medicine Dhaka University, Geology Department lUCN-The World Conservation Union Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology Dhaka University, Geology Department Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Chittagong Medical College North South University Bangladesh Medical Research Council Dhaka University, Geology Department Dhaka University, Geology Department Dhaka University, Geology Department Geological Survery, Bangladesh National Institute of Social & Preventive Medicine Dhaka University, Geology Department Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies Bangladesh Water Development Board Page 3 at the bottom throughout the application. Do nor use suffixes such as 3a, Training Faculty Steering Committee, T.F Training Faculty Steering Committee, T.F Training Faculty Steering Committee, T.F Steering Committee, T.F Training Faculty Steering Committee, T.F Executive Comm., T.F. Executive Comm., T.F. Executive Committee Steering Comm., T.F. Training Faculty Steering Comm., T.F. Steering Committee Training Faculty Steering Committee Steering Comm., T.F. Steering Commitee Training Faculty Steering Committee Training Faculty Training Faculty Steering Comm., T.F. Training Faculty 3b. cc nvestigator/Program Director ILast, first, middle): I Praziano. Joseph H. Type the name of the principal investigator/program director at the top of each printed page and each continuation page. (For type specifications, see instructions on page 6.) RESEARCH GRANT