CAO Process, Dialogue Between NSEL and ASOCHIVIDA, BUSPH Studies: 2008-2012

In 2008, the BUSPH team responded to a competitive request for proposals by the Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank Group. The proposal submitted by BUSPH was selected by members of a Dialogue Table, which included representatives of the Chichigalpa Association for Life (ASOCHIVIDA) and Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited (NSEL). ASOCHIVIDA is an association of ~2,000 former sugar cane workers afflicted with CKD, as well as the widows of deceased former workers. NSEL is,a major sugar producer in western Nicaragua that operates the Ingenio San Antonio (ISA) and formerly employed the members of ASOCHIVIDA. BUSPH first conducted a scoping study to compile a review of existing literature on CKD, identify hypotheses, and propose research activities. Next, from 2009-2012, BUSPH conducted an industrial hygiene/occupational health assessment, a preliminary investigation of water quality, interviews with physicians and pharmacists, a pilot cohort study of ISA workers, a biomonitoring study of Nicaraguan workers, and a biomonitoring study of adolescents. Finally, we prepared a final report than summarizes all of the work described above. Additional information about the CAO process is available on their website. Links to the reports that provide the details of each activity are provided below. The results are also in various stages of publication in peer-reviewed journals (see Publications).