April 22, 2009
INTERNATIONAL ENVI-HEALTH GROUP CALLS FOR SOUND RP HEALTH BUDGET ON EARTH DAY
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) together with the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) and the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) today called on concerned government agencies to make sure that items in the General Appropriations Act “assist the country and not further aggravate debt.”
At the Bulong Pulungan forum in Sofitel, Manila, the three organizations highlighted two items in the health budget—the unreleased P100-M allocation for the purchase of medical waste treatment facility for government-run hospitals which is in the 2008 GAA and the US$2-million payment for defunct medical waste incinerators which the government started paying in 2002 and will continue to pay until 2014.
“We believe that these two issues deserve our outmost attention,” said Merci Ferrer, Executive Director of HCWH-SEA. “We know that there are other dubious items not just in the health budget but in other agencies’ as well. But right now, we want to focus on these.
“Continuous degradation of our planet calls for action from all sectors of the society. A medical waste treatment facility in the form of autoclaves will ease the burgeoning problems on medical waste disposal.
“The cancellation of the defunct medical waste incinerator loan, on the other hand, will provide our health department more than enough budget for sound alternative to waste disposal that will not sacrifice care for the environment.”
Disposing Medical Waste
In the 2008 GAA, P100 million was appropriated for autoclaves for medical waste treatment in the budget approved for the Department of Health (DoH). However, to date, the project is awaiting endorsement and approval by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Since the use of incinerators to dispose medical wastes has been banned by the 1999 Clean Air Act, autoclave is among the accepted methods to treat waste. According to a World Health Organization report, waste produced by health care facilities carries a higher potential for infection and injury than any other kind of waste.
Although the third highest allocation in the 2008 GAA, health budget accounts only for 1.25% of the total budget. For 2009, health budget is less than one-tenth of debt interest.
“With the limited health budget, the least we want is for an appropriated budget to end up an unreleased and revert back to the national treasury and thus be appropriated to other agencies or projects as deemed necessary by the President,” said Ferrer.
“We urge DoH to seriously follow-up on the release of this budget.”
Stop Toxic Debt
Bringing the issue further, “we are also calling for the cancellation of the 1997 Austrian loan which financed the Austrian project for the establishment of waste disposal facilities and upgrading of the medical equipment standard in DoH hospitals, amounting to Php503 million.”
The government started paying the principal and interest payments in 2002 and now pays an average of US$2 million a year and will continue to pay until 2014.
The incinerators were decommissioned in 2003 with the enactment of the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 prohibiting the use of incinerators.
“US$2-million is a huge amount that the health department could instead use for the delivery of basic health services or installation of non-burn treatment technology,” Ferrer pointed out.
In 2008, total health budget is only 7.7 per cent of the total amount automatically allocated to debt interest payments. For 2009, health budget is less than one-tenth of debt interest. 3
“This is clearly culpable for our poor health situation,” she exclaimed.
Another questionable aspect of the incinerators is its failure to meet standards set by European Union limits in 2001.
“With other burning issues in our health sector, we must say no to payment of incinerators that are obviously rejects from Austria.”
Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is a global coalition of more than 400 organizations in more than 50 countries working to protect health by reducing pollution in health care sector. For more information, visit www.noharm.org. (30)
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Merci Ferrer, Executive Director, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
1 Autoclave uses steam under pressure to treat cultures and stocks, sharps, materials contaminated with blood and limited amounts of fluid, isolation and surgery wastes, laboratory wastes (excluding chemical wastes), and soft waste.
2 A New Partnership for Handling Medical Waste, October 1, 2001. Retrieved March 20, 2009 from http://www.eponline.com/articles/53469/
3 Briones, Leonor, Romancing the 2009 deficit, March 16, 2009.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
SAVING MORE LIVES ON WORLD HEALTH DAY
April 7, 2009
SAVING MORE LIVES ON WORLD HEALTH DAY
Following World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Day call, Save lives, make hospitals safe in emergencies, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) presented a Philippine version of how to save lives.
According to Merci Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Executive Director, “we do not need to wait for emergencies to make hospitals safer and for it to save lives.”
“This World Health Day, we are encouraging hospitals, concerned government institutions, local government units and medical practitioners to do three simple yet essential plans. One is to move towards a mercury-free hospital,” said Ferrer.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that affects the nervous system. It is fatal when inhaled and harmful if absorbed through the skin. High doses of vapors released by thermometer breakage may cause lung damage. While at lower doses it is harmful to the kidney and the nervous, digestive, respiratory and immune systems.
Recently, the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) announced that it has completely banned purchase of mercury devices following Department of Health (DoH) Administrative Order 21 on the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010.
PhilHealth on the other hand, said that in compliance with AO 21, they will no longer accredit hospitals who continue to use mercury devices.
“Second, we are urging the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the P100 million fund allocated in the 2008 General Appropriations Act for the purchase of autoclave for 16 government-controlled hospitals.”
Since the use of incinerators to dispose medical wastes has been banned by the 1999 Clean Air Act, autoclave is among the accepted methods to treat waste.
“Finally, we congratulate the more than 39,000 new nurses who are taking their oath today and urge them to be environmentally-responsible nurses.
“This World Health Day calls for the synthesis of good deed between hospitals, government and medical practitioners. With this we hope to make hospitals and the whole health care system a saver of life, not just of its patients but those within its community.
Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is a global coalition of more than 400 organizations in more than 50 countries working to protect health by reducing pollution in health care sector. For more information, visit www.noharm.org. (30)
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Merci Ferrer, Executive Director, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
1 Autoclave uses steam under pressure to treat cultures and stocks, sharps, materials contaminated with blood and limited amounts of fluid, isolation and surgery wastes, laboratory wastes (excluding chemical wastes), and soft waste.
SAVING MORE LIVES ON WORLD HEALTH DAY
Following World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Day call, Save lives, make hospitals safe in emergencies, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) presented a Philippine version of how to save lives.
According to Merci Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Executive Director, “we do not need to wait for emergencies to make hospitals safer and for it to save lives.”
“This World Health Day, we are encouraging hospitals, concerned government institutions, local government units and medical practitioners to do three simple yet essential plans. One is to move towards a mercury-free hospital,” said Ferrer.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that affects the nervous system. It is fatal when inhaled and harmful if absorbed through the skin. High doses of vapors released by thermometer breakage may cause lung damage. While at lower doses it is harmful to the kidney and the nervous, digestive, respiratory and immune systems.
Recently, the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) announced that it has completely banned purchase of mercury devices following Department of Health (DoH) Administrative Order 21 on the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010.
PhilHealth on the other hand, said that in compliance with AO 21, they will no longer accredit hospitals who continue to use mercury devices.
“Second, we are urging the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the P100 million fund allocated in the 2008 General Appropriations Act for the purchase of autoclave for 16 government-controlled hospitals.”
Since the use of incinerators to dispose medical wastes has been banned by the 1999 Clean Air Act, autoclave is among the accepted methods to treat waste.
“Finally, we congratulate the more than 39,000 new nurses who are taking their oath today and urge them to be environmentally-responsible nurses.
“This World Health Day calls for the synthesis of good deed between hospitals, government and medical practitioners. With this we hope to make hospitals and the whole health care system a saver of life, not just of its patients but those within its community.
Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is a global coalition of more than 400 organizations in more than 50 countries working to protect health by reducing pollution in health care sector. For more information, visit www.noharm.org. (30)
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Merci Ferrer, Executive Director, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
1 Autoclave uses steam under pressure to treat cultures and stocks, sharps, materials contaminated with blood and limited amounts of fluid, isolation and surgery wastes, laboratory wastes (excluding chemical wastes), and soft waste.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
PGH to go mercury free, PhilHealth to stop accreditation of non-mercury free hospitals
April 2, 2009
PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL TO GO MERCURY-FREE
Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to stop accreditation of non-mercury free hospitals
Manila – The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) announced at the Bulong Pulungan Media Forum at Sofitel Hotel-Manila that the hospital has “completely banned purchase of mercury devices.”
Contrary to common issue raised on the accuracy of mercury-free medical devices, Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo, Administrator of PGH, said that accuracy is not a problem with regular calibration of the devices. “And there is always a way to calibrate. As a matter of fact, all available devices can be calibrated.”
PGH is the premier tertiary hospital in the Philippines with 1,500 beds.
Accuracy
Domingo said that hospitals must not stop at saying non-mercury devices is not accurate, “we need to back it with studies.”
Angelita Aguirre of the Philippine Heart Association Women’s Council, on the other hand, said that if non-mercurial devices can be accurate, then they are willing to use and promote them.
Mercury-Safe
Gilda Cirila Ramos, San Juan De Dios Hospital Quality Assurance Director, said that health care industry is serious in complying with the Department of Health (DoH) Administrative Order 21 on the gradual phase-out of mercury devices in all hospitals by 2010.
San Juan De Dios is currently 100% mercury thermometer-free and 50% mercury blood pressure devices-free.
Philhealth to go mercury-free
Going mercury-free is obviously the way to go, not just in hospitals.
In PhilHealth’s weekly radio program at DZRH, they quoted Dr. Clementine Bautista, Medical Specialist of Standards and Monitoring Department of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) saying that in compliance with AO 21 of the DoH, PhilHealth will no longer accredit hospitals who continue to use mercury devices. Details of the changes in accreditation policy is being finalized.
PhilHealth is the country’s government health insurance with 16.46 million members and 68.67 million beneficiaries.
Mercury-free 2010
According to Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury, the developments on the mercury phase-out in Philippine hospitals is significant not just in the country but for the rest of Asia.
For the DoH, “this is the 1st time a health department has taken a stand to phase-out mercury in hospitals.”
“PhilHealth’s move to change its accreditation policy towards a mercury-free safe hospital is also most welcomed,” Ferrer said.
“This only shows that AO 21 is not just a one-time-big-time victory. It is a victory, yes. But a victory that gave and continues to give more victories. With this, our future of a 2010 mercury-free Philippines is even brighter.”
Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is a global coalition of more than 400 organizations in more than 50 countries working to protect health by reducing pollution in health care sector. For more information, visit www.noharm.org. (30)
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye V. Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151, faye@hcwh.org
PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL TO GO MERCURY-FREE
Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to stop accreditation of non-mercury free hospitals
Manila – The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) announced at the Bulong Pulungan Media Forum at Sofitel Hotel-Manila that the hospital has “completely banned purchase of mercury devices.”
Contrary to common issue raised on the accuracy of mercury-free medical devices, Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo, Administrator of PGH, said that accuracy is not a problem with regular calibration of the devices. “And there is always a way to calibrate. As a matter of fact, all available devices can be calibrated.”
PGH is the premier tertiary hospital in the Philippines with 1,500 beds.
Accuracy
Domingo said that hospitals must not stop at saying non-mercury devices is not accurate, “we need to back it with studies.”
Angelita Aguirre of the Philippine Heart Association Women’s Council, on the other hand, said that if non-mercurial devices can be accurate, then they are willing to use and promote them.
Mercury-Safe
Gilda Cirila Ramos, San Juan De Dios Hospital Quality Assurance Director, said that health care industry is serious in complying with the Department of Health (DoH) Administrative Order 21 on the gradual phase-out of mercury devices in all hospitals by 2010.
San Juan De Dios is currently 100% mercury thermometer-free and 50% mercury blood pressure devices-free.
Philhealth to go mercury-free
Going mercury-free is obviously the way to go, not just in hospitals.
In PhilHealth’s weekly radio program at DZRH, they quoted Dr. Clementine Bautista, Medical Specialist of Standards and Monitoring Department of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) saying that in compliance with AO 21 of the DoH, PhilHealth will no longer accredit hospitals who continue to use mercury devices. Details of the changes in accreditation policy is being finalized.
PhilHealth is the country’s government health insurance with 16.46 million members and 68.67 million beneficiaries.
Mercury-free 2010
According to Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury, the developments on the mercury phase-out in Philippine hospitals is significant not just in the country but for the rest of Asia.
For the DoH, “this is the 1st time a health department has taken a stand to phase-out mercury in hospitals.”
“PhilHealth’s move to change its accreditation policy towards a mercury-free safe hospital is also most welcomed,” Ferrer said.
“This only shows that AO 21 is not just a one-time-big-time victory. It is a victory, yes. But a victory that gave and continues to give more victories. With this, our future of a 2010 mercury-free Philippines is even brighter.”
Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is a global coalition of more than 400 organizations in more than 50 countries working to protect health by reducing pollution in health care sector. For more information, visit www.noharm.org. (30)
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye V. Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151, faye@hcwh.org
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