Monday, September 28, 2009

16 RP hospitals receive 1st Do No Harm Award for mercury phase-out in Southeast Asia

NEWS RELEASE September 28, 2009

Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org

16 RP hospitals receive 1st Do No Harm Award for mercury phase-out in Southeast Asia

Manila – International environmental health group, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), recognizes 16 hospitals around the Philippines for their compliance to the Department of Health’s Administrative Order 21 on the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions by 2010.

Of the total 1,847 hospitals in the country, 15 from Luzon and one from Mindanao will be awarded the 1st ever Do No Harm Award.

“These hospitals recognized that mercury in health care is a threat not only to the patients and the environment but also to the workers and they have willingly initiated a phase-out program, some even before AO 21,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.

The awardees are: Florencio V. Bernabe Sr. Memorial Hospital (Paranaque City), General Santos Doctors’ Hospital (General Santos City), Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (Las Piñas City), Makati Medical Center (Makati City), Manila Adventist Medical Center (Pasay City), Medical Center Paranaque, Inc. (Paranaque City), Notre Dame De Chartres Hospital (Baguio City), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (Quezon City), Philippine Heart Center (Quezon City), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (Muntinlupa City), San Juan De Dios Educational Foundation Inc. (Pasay City), San Lazaro Hospital (Manila), St. Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart (Baguio City), St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital (San Juan City), St. Paul Hospital Cavite (Dasmarinas, Cavite), and St. Paul Hospital Tuguegarao (Tuguegarao City).

While the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) have issued warnings on the dangers of mercury as early as 1990s, Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals.

“We want Philippine hospitals to lead the way towards movement to environmentally sound health care system across Asia. We want to inspire other hospitals through the success stories of these 16 hospitals,” Ferrer added.

Do No Harm Award seeks to recognize outstanding hospitals, health care workers, institutions and communities in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries who are leading the way to a healthier environment. Through their stories, experiences and commitment to move to a healthier environment in the health care setting, others will be inspired to work towards a greener and safer health care.

“The 1st Do No Harm Award for mercury phase-out is just a start. In the future, we will recognize individuals and even communities who are moving towards safer, cleaner and less toxic health care system,” said Ferrer.

“We are at a time when we can no longer separate health and environmental issues. Any toxic chemicals released in hospitals and other health care facilities will eventually find its way to the environment. If all hospitals will take on preventive measures, we will be doing our planet a big favour,” Ferrer said.


Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia is a part of 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, please visit www.noharm.org.ph

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Pasig City: Thinking and Living Green

September 23, 2009

Pasig City: Thinking and Living Green

Pasig City – In celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia’s 4th leg of blood pressure and temperature screening activity using mercury-free devices draws a big crowd in Pasig City.

“We go around the different cities in the country to showcase that mercury-free alternatives in health care are available. We chose Pasig because we saw the city’s goal for a green environment, as well as its many health care-related activities. We want to show them that greening the health care is a big step towards a healthy environment,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.

In September 2008, the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010. To date, more than 50 hospitals are moving away from mercury devices.

“More than hospitals, we also want to get support from local government units and hope that LGU-initiated health care projects or medical missions will move towards the greener alternative,” said Ferrer.

“Pasig City’s health care projects include dental, tuberculosis, family planning, maternal and child health programs and senior citizen vaccination. We hope that in all these projects, Pasig will always veer away from using mercury devices,” Ferrer added.

Pasig City Health Officer Dr. Georgiana Galutera is very supportive of the shift to mercury-free alternatives. “Pasig City has always been for projects that will benefit the people, their health and the environment. For many years, we have been coordinating efforts to keep our city clean and our community healthy. Mercury phase-out in hospitals and in LGU-supported health care projects will definitely contribute to the vision of thinking and living green in Pasig City,” she added.

Ferrer added, “As the government officials here in Pasig always say, beyond progress, a healthy environment. With this we believe that Pasig means business when it comes to looking after the environment while progressing as a City. For what will progress mean if we are living in an unhealthy and toxic environment? What is progress if we have unhealthy people? What is progress if the place we are living in is dying?”
“In terms of health care, our question is, are we really providing proper health care if we are using mercury and other toxic substances that are harming the people and the environment? We challenged Pasig City to mean business in cleaning, greening and making healthier our health care,” Ferrer added.

Mercury history in the Philippines
The 1st Southeast Asia Conference on Mercury sponsored by HCWH in Manila in 2006 brought the mercury issue to the attention of concerned stakeholders. It was during this conference that DoH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III pledged to have a national policy on mercury phase-out in Philippine hospitals.

In 2007, Philippine Heart Center, together with General Santos Doctor’s Hospital (GSDH), Manila Adventist Hospital and San Juan De Dios Hospital, started a mercury phase-out program. In August 11, 2008, DoH signed AO 21.

Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.

The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 were provided by Digitron International Sales Inc.

Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org

Friday, September 18, 2009

Baguio City way cooler without mercury

September 18, 2009

Baguio City way cooler without mercury

Baguio City – Amidst another busy day in Baguio City and in the middle of the City’s Centennial Celebration, passers by and local government officials and employees got screened using non-mercurial thermometers and blood pressure devices.

The event? Celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals.

A year after the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010, “we go around the different cities in the country to show the public that veering away from mercury devices is doable, economical and the best way to go to,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.

“At General Santos City and Quezon City, more than a thousand people participated in the temperature and BP screening. We aim to reach more people here in Baguio because as far as we know, when it comes to cleaning and greening the environment and protecting the citizenry, Baguio is always on the lead, especially that the mercury phase-out is very much supported by the City government and local hospitals.”

Goodbye mercury for a cleaner and healthier Baguio City
“If you look closely, continuous use of mercury devices in hospitals will sooner or later pose us with another question, where do we throw away all the broken thermometers? And what about the uncontrolled and unmonitored disposal of mercury waste?” asked Ferrer. “The last thing we want is for our hospitals to be a primary contributor to toxic pollution here in Baguio.”

Malou Jacinto, Administrator of SLU Hospital of the Sacred Heart, reiterated this point saying the shift to mercury alternatives is the only solution now considering the clean-up cost of mercury spills. “Add to that is the danger every mercury device in hospitals poses to hospital workers, patients confined in the hospitals and almost anyone who enters the hospital facilities. We do not want to make the community sicker. That is not what we are here for.”

Notre Dame de Chartes Hospital Administrator, Sr. Adelina Javellana, added that the true essence of providing health care is providing care that is safe to the people and non toxic to the environment. “Phasing-out mercury devices in hospitals is a big leap towards that.”

Both hospitals have shifted to mercury-free devices.

Mercury-Free Caravan: an RIP to Mercury
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the temperature and blood pressure screening events.

“We encourage everyone to join us in these activities, not just this month but up to 2010 when we will finally put all mercury devices in hospitals to rest. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for the environment and for health,” said Ferrer. “We hope too that soon, other industries will follow suit.”

Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank with U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.

The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010: I Got Screened in Baguio were provided by Collins International Trading Corporation (distributor of Omron medical devices).

Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org

Monday, September 14, 2009

Quezon City envisions mercury-free health care by 2010

September 14, 2009

Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org

Quezon City envisions mercury-free health care by 2010
Gathers personalities, senior citizens, passersby for BP screening

Quezon City - “Do you know that it will only take less than 2,000 broken mercury thermometers to contaminate the whole of Quezon City?,” asked Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.

In celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, Quezon City residents were encouraged to have their temperature and blood pressure screened using non-mercurial thermometers and blood pressure devices.

“A year after the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010, we are going around the different cities in the country to show the dangers of mercury and its waste.

“We want to inform everyone that shifting to mercury-free devices is doable, economical and ecologically sound. We do not want to contaminate this city, or any other cities, provinces and countries. So, please, we appeal to you, let’s go mercury-free.”

Mercury-Free City, Mercury-Free Nation
According to Director Edwin Sanchez, chairman of the committee on the phasing-out of mercury in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions, he hopes that hospitals in Quezon City will lead other hospitals in moving away from mercury.

“Being the largest city in Metro Manila, Quezon City has big impact in this phase-out. And we hope that this will be replicated all throughout the country.”

Dr. Soe Nyunt-U, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Philippines, likewise acknowledge the impact of A.O. 21 towards an even bigger goal of global elimination of mercury-based thermometers and sphygmomanometers by 2017.

“As a matter of fact, Philippines is way ahead of this global initiative,” he said. “If the Department of Health (DoH), WHO, local government units, private and public hospitals, medical associations, medical universities, private clinics and even ordinary citizens will collaborate towards this goal, I am positive that the Philippine health care system will achieve major milestones for the mercury-free initiative in 2010.”

Celebs support mercury-free health care
The Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 campaign has also gathered support from local celebrities. Among which is Albert Martinez and Juddha Paolo.

“When I was first introduced to the campaign, my initial reaction was, how can I not support a campaign that will make our health care system healthier, our environment cleaner and people less sick,” said multi-awarded actor Albert Martinez.

“Through this campaign, we are making our health care and our planet a healthier place for the future generation.”

Mercury-Free Caravan
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the blood pressure screening events.

“We are encouraging everyone to join us in these activities. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for a toxic-free and healthy environment,” said Ferrer.

Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.

The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 were provided by WellnessPRO Inc., Digitron International Sales Inc., and Collins International Trading Corporation.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

General Santos City got screened: Heats up Tuna Festival celebration

September 3, 2009

General Santos City got screened: Heats up Tuna Festival celebration

General Santos City – To celebrate the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, 1,200 indigents from 5 barangays joining the Almusalang Bayan in the Tuna Festival were encouraged to have their temperature and blood pressure screened using non-mercurial thermometer and blood pressure device.

It has been a year since the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010.

“We are going around the different cities in the country to show the public that veering away from mercury devices is doable, economical and the best way to go to,” said Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.

“We are likewise very pleased that the City Social Welfare and Development office have encouraged their more than a thousand guests in the almusalan to have their blood pressure screened and appreciate the importance of going mercury-free.”

“Mercury devices in hospitals are extremely toxic yet packed in an extremely breakable packaging. If we only see this irony, we know that going mercury-free is our only choice. It is also the best way to show that we care about the people and the environment.”

Mercury history in the Philippines
The 1st Southeast Asia Conference on Mercury sponsored by HCWH in Manila in 2006 brought the mercury issue to the attention of concerned stakeholders. It was during this conference that DoH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III pledged to have a national policy on mercury phase-out in Philippine hospitals.

In 2007, Philippine Heart Center, together with General Santos Doctor’s Hospital (GSDH), Manila Adventist Hospital and San Juan De Dios Hospital, started a mercury phase-out program. In August 11, 2008, DoH signed AO 21.

To date, more than 50 hospitals have phased-out or are phasing out mercury-containing devices in their hospitals. GSDH has phased-out mercury thermometers and are on the way to phasing-out sphygmomanometers.

Mercury-Free and Magandang GenSan
Dr. Daniel Yap, Medical Director of GSDH, is encouraging other hospitals in Gen San and the region to go mercury-free. “Considering the risks to patients and hospital employees of using mercurial devices, it remains our best option.”

Sr. Estelle Marie-Camagan, GSDH Administrator added “beyond protecting patients, employees and the community, we are also contributing to a healthier and cleaner General Santos City or what the locals would always refer to as Magandang GenSan.”

Mercury-Free Caravan: an RIP to Mercury
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the temperature and blood pressure screening events.

“We are encouraging everyone to join us in these activities. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for the environment and for health. And that we are sending mercury devices to finally rest in peace,” said Ferrer.

Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.

The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in Mercury Free Health Care by 2010: I Got Screened in General Santos City were provided by WellnessPRO Inc. (distributor of A&D medical devices) and MR Microbiz Enterprises.

Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org