The Visayas goes greener

MANILA, Philippines –  “If Metro Manila can go green, we are sure the Visayas can go greener.”  This was the challenge posed by Faye Ferrer, program officer for Mercury of Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) at the 2nd Healthcare Waste Management Summit: Pollution-Free Philippines through Effective, Efficient, Equitable Management of Healthcare Waste, a Visayan-wide Initiative.

 Ferrer gave an update of the Department of Health (DoH)’s Administrative Order 21 which aims for the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010.  The measure is supported globally by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has an initiative with HCWH that aims to substitute mercury-based medical devices by 2017.

 “Mercury pollution is by far one of the worst in the world.  Mercury is a neurotoxin, meaning it targets the brain, and women and children make up the most vulnerable population,” says Ferrer.

 In September 2008, DoH issued AO 21 and to date, more than 50 hospitals have phased out or are phasing out mercury devices in hospitals.

 “Even with these 50 hospitals, we cannot say that the implementation of the AO is satisfactory,” she adds.

 In February this year, HCWH-SEA conducted a survey of 100 hospitals in Metro Manila.  Only 40 hospitals have responded — 22 public and 18 private.

 The result says that of the 40 hospitals, 80 percent received a copy of the AO from DoH.  “This is much lower than what we are expecting in Metro Manila since they are closest to the main office of the DoH,” notes Ferrer.

 Additionally, survey says 77.5 percent have discontinued the use of mercury thermometer, but only 55 percent have conducted the mercury audit.

 “A mercury audit is a necessity. Before we can phase out mercury devices and replace them with alternatives, we at least need to know how many more devices we need to replace,” Ferrer points out. “And far worst, of the 40 respondents, only 42.5 percent have done a minimization plan and only 20 percent have prepared a new purchasing policy requiring vendors to sign a mercury-content disclosure agreement.”

 HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-SEA, see www.noharm.org.