Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Asbestos Related Disease In Gujarat

The Express India reported on the human rights violations that are occurring in Gujarati asbestos factories. The International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has labeled Gujarat as the 'Asbestos Hot Spot.' This report was sparked by a dossier circulated at the recent Rotterdam convention in Rome which lists the 'Golden Corridor' of Gujarat as a major hub for asbestos use. This corridor stretches from Mehsana to Vapi, housing over 31,000 working factories using asbestos. These factories are involved in ship-breaking, and the production of cement, insulation, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, friction materials and safety equipment. We visited Gujarat in September and talked with a Dr. S.K. Dave at a hospital in Ahmedabad. He cited many occasions of patients he diagnosed with Mesothelioma. We are currently in the process of funding a small study for him and his team.