So, what’s the latest on the mercury phaseout? Is everything still up in the air even as we’re three months away from the prescribed deadline of the Department of Health Administrative Order 21? In the heavily charged atmosphere, we catch this piece of news: Two companies have partnered with Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) in the intensified move to rid the health industry of mercury. For Collins International Trading Corporation (CITC), a distributor of mercury alternatives in health care, and Watsons Personal Care Stores Phils., sky’s no limit as they seek to eliminate this heavy metal that has toxic effects in high enough doses and can damage the brain, kidney, and lungs.
Says Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA program officer for Mercury in Health Care at the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between the three parties. “Now that we are nearing the September 2010 deadline as prescribed by the Department of Health (DoH) Administrative Order 21, we want both the health care sector and the general public to know why we are phasing out mercury devices, what are the dangers of continuous use, the alternatives available and guidelines on the temporary storing of old mercurial devices both at home and in the health care setting. We want this information available to as many people as possible.”
She adds, “Knowing the dangers of mercury, the public is keen to find available alternatives. We do not just say stop using mercury devices. We present viable alternatives.”
Watsons Personal Care Stores Phils. has said goodbye to mercury-containing equipment such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors in its 176 stores around the country.
More, Watsons is distributing flyers on mercury — toxicity and tips on handling mercury spillage — in all its stores.
Also, a public service announcement with HCWH-SEA and VJ Juddha Paolo will be played in all Watsons’ TV screens. Celebrities VJ Juddha Paolo and Albert Martinez are avid supporters of the mercury phaseout campaign.
Robert U. Sun, chief operating officer of Watsons Personal Care Stores (Phils.), Inc., vows, “With 176 stores all over the country and an average of a hundred customers daily, we will reach 176,000 people every day. We hope that they will share what they have learned with their friends and family who will then pass it on forward to more people.”
He further promises, “Watsons pharmacists and pharmacy assistants will be given training materials on the harmful effects of mercury-containing devices. We will guide our staff on the dangers of mercury and encourage them to actively pass the info to customers. The more contagious the information, the better.”
Watsons is donating 1,000 digital thermometers to 50 government hospitals while CITC is donating 5,000 digital thermometers to HCWH partner hospitals.
As part of an all-out info drive, conferences were held all over the country, where distributors of mercury alternatives showed the public the assorted choices as well as answered various queries on the accuracy and affordability of the device.
Omron Healthcare brand marketing manager Julie Lee points out with much concern, “As a distributor of household and medical products, it is in the core vision of CITC to deliver carefully chosen quality products at reasonable prices in order to uplift the living and working standards of our clientele. We do not want the irreversible damage of mercury exposure on our conscience. We do not want to cause it or to be an accessory to the crime of mercury poisoning.
She notes, “Although irreversible, the damage is preventable. Ever since acquiring Omron, CITC has never distributed any mercurial healthcare devices and recently has been actively supporting the campaign on mercury phaseout.”
Often confronted with questions of accuracy and affordability of mercurial alternatives, Collins is keen on guiding its clients in their transition to mercury-free devices.
Ferrer stresses, “Stories of health care facilities who have successfully shifted to mercury-free devices should inspire others to make the switch. We cannot always go back to mercury devices just because one alternative failed our test. We need to continue testing more alternatives until we get the best one.”
According to AO 21, each hospital will designate a mercury management team to study the alternatives.
HCWH-SEA, DoH, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) are in the process of discussing intermediate disposal for mercury and importation ban on mercury. HCWH-SEA is also involved with a United Nations Development Programme-Global Environment Facility (UNDP-GEF) Project which targets to identify a possible intermediate disposal area for mercury.
Now, that’s a whiff of refreshing, mercury-free news indeed!
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Now, that’s ‘sili’!
Dear Consumerline,
Now I’d like to add something to the tips you wrote about using natural means in almost everything we do every day to help the environment and our health in particular.
One of the best natural medicines against insect bites can be found in the pepper plant, especially the siling labuyo variety. The leaves are very effective for mosquito bites, even for bee sting. I use the crushed leaves to expel the toxins in just an hour after application.
Another is the oregano leaves. I used them primarily to cure colds or coughing due to colds. Sometime last month, I read in a website that the oil of the oregano is very effective in treating dandruff. It is one of the problems that I had been searching a permanent cure for so I did not hesitate in trying the fresh juice from its leaves. So far, so good — the itching and the scab-like residue of commercial shampoos on my scalp stopped.
I never stop looking for natural solutions to my health problems and I never fear using untested (by modern testing standards) products because I have complete trust in everything that the Creator has freely given us.
In the process, I saved more money and hope to save more hair that falls every time I scratch my scalp.
Gerry Vergara
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