MARINDUQUE GEARS UP FOR MERCURY-FREE HEALTH CARE: Bringing mercury-free system at the heart of the country

Boac, Marinduque - In a continuous bid to make the Philippines 100% mercury-free, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) today turns-over non mercurial thermometers to the Province of Marinduque, the province that seats at the heart of the country.

“This is a very symbolic event,” said Merci Ferrer, HCWH-SEA’s Executive Director. “If we make the heart of the country mercury-free, how can we not make the whole country 100% mercury-free?”

The non-mercurial thermometers from OMRON Healthcare, a partner of HCWH-SEA in the mercury campaign, are turned over to the Office of Marinduque Governor Carmencita Reyes for distribution to the 6 municipalities and the Provincial Health Office.

“We support the initiative of the province to encourage their hospitals to shun away from mercury and to serve as a model to other local government units,” said Ferrer.

In July, the Regional Development Council (RDC) of MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region passed two resolutions pertaining to the mercury issue. RDC MIMAROPA is chaired by Gov. Reyes.

Formed in the early 1970s, the RDC which is under the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) serves as the regional machinery to coordinate national and local government activities particularly in formulating and implementing development plans and programs for the region.

RDC Resolution No. 036-208-2011 bans the entry of mercury in all Philippine markets with reference to the Department of Health (DoH) Administrative Order 2008-0021 on the phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions by 2010.

RDC Resolution No. 036-209-2011 requests the DENR-EMB to formulate procedures and guidelines pertaining to storage/disposal of mercury in support.

“We commend Marinduque and the whole of MIMAROPA region,” said Ferrer. Both Resolutions will be furnished to all RDCs to enjoin them to concur with its objectives and likewise come-up with a similar resolution.

“Further, the resolution on mercury storage addresses the issue beyond mercury in health care,” said Ferrer. The Resolution on mercury storage will deal with both health care facilities and mining companies’ safe storage of mercury and mercury-containing devices.

“We likewise commend Dir. Gloria J. Balboa, Regional Director of DoH-Center for Health Development-IV-B, for bringing the mercury issue to the attention of the RDC and for actively working for mercury-free health care,” said Ferrer. “We are positive that this will serve as an impetus for the other RDCs to play a big role in the mercury phase-out in health care and beyond,” Ferrer added. “This is a good way for us to end the year and we are hopeful with Marinduque and MIMAROPA’s precedent, all the regions in the country will be geared up for mercury-free Philippines.”

The RDC also serves as a forum to raise and discuss regional development issues and concerns. Likewise, it serves as a venue where national development is translated into specific regions and local objectives. It provides the mechanism to raise local and regional issues to the attention of the national government.

Photo caption: To a mercury-free Marinduque. Representatives of rural health units from the different municipalities of Marinduque receive non-mercurial thermometer from Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia and OMRON Healthcare. (center: Merci Ferrer, Executive Director of HCWH-SEA, right: Marinduque Gov. Carmencita Reyes)

Media Contacts:

Sonia G. Astudillo, +63 9189182369

Merci Ferrer, +63 9209056113

HCWH is an international coalition with over 483 member organizations in 53 countries, working to transform the health care sector world-wide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically-sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and environment. For more information on HCWH-SEA, visitwww.noharm.org/seasia

‘SHOULD HAVE BEEN A KNOCK-OUT’ FOR INCINERATOR PROJECTS

For five consecutive years, environmental-health group, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) once again called on the executive and legislative governments for the debt cancellation of a 15-year old medical waste incineration project that continues to be a huge burden to the people.

“Today marks the anniversary of the signing of the P503-million Austrian Medical Waste Incinerator Project that provided medical waste incinerators to 26 public hospitals around the country,” said HCWH-SEA’s Merci Ferrer. “Another year will pass and we are still paying for a loan that should have been diverted to other health care needs and services.

The Philippine and Austrian Governments entered into the loan to help in the proper disposal of medical waste. In 1999, however, the Philippines successfully banned the use of incinerators for general wastes and subsequently the use of incinerators for medical waste in 2003. The country remains the only country in the world to ban incinerators. However, the government continues to pay close to US$2 million every year and is set to pay until 2014.

Government agencies such as the Department of Health (DoH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) lack the initiative to explore other alternative technologies to properly handle waste,” said Ferrer. “They seem bent on pushing for the incineration of medical wastes when hospitals all over the country have proven that proper waste management is possible without resorting back to incineration,” she added.

In 2007, HCWH-SEA together with the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) for health groups lobbied the national government for a P100 million fund to be part of the DoH 2008 budget for the purchase of autoclaves that will be used to disinfect wastes,” said Ferrer. The allocation was approved and included in the 2008 General Appropriations Act but was never released to date.

“P100 million is a small amount of money compared to the billions of loans and ‘investments’ that the government is entering to bring back incinerators,” said Ferrer. “…or even compared to the US$2 million we are allocating for incinerator debt payments.

“Studies show that 80% of hospital wastes are regular wastes and treatment technologies are needed only for the remaining 15 to 20% infectious wastes,” said Ferrer. “Proper waste management is our best and only option.”

Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) posted a factsheet highlighting health impacts, risk associated, reasons for failure and steps towards improvement on health care waste management.

According to the WHO factsheet, among the reasons for the failure in health care waste management is the lack of awareness about the health hazards related to health care waste, inadequate training in proper waste management, absence of waste management and disposal systems, insufficient financial and human resources and the low priority given to the issue. It added that many countries do not have appropriate regulations or do not enforce them.

“Indeed we have existing policies but strong will is lacking,” said Ferrer again citing recent moves by the Congress to revive incineration of waste particularly medical waste. “We have banned incinerators long time ago because we know that incineration is harmful and that there are safer alternatives available in handling our wastes. There are in fact safe, less costly alternative systems and technologies such as autoclaves and microwaves that are being used by hospitals. What we need is the government’s support to public health care facilities and to encourage investments on safe alternatives.”

The factsheet pushes for three key elements in improving health care waste management. These include: (1) building a comprehensive system, addressing responsibilities, resource allocation, handling and disposal, (2) raising awareness of the risks related to the health care waste and of safe and sound practices, and (3) selecting safe and environmentally-friendly management options to protect people from hazards when collecting, handling, storing, transporting, treating or disposing of waste.

Government commitment and support is crucial towards an improved health care. “We reiterate that our government should stop the payment of the unscrupulous debt,” said Ferrer. “The money that we are allocating for this payment should be used to fund other health care needs and improvements in health care waste management.”

HCWH-SEA also cited a report submitted in September by the Special Rapporteur to the United Nations Human Rights Council calling for an end to the incineration of medical waste in order to protect human health and the environment.

The campaign against medical waste incineration in the Philippines is taking grounds with hospitals making their strong case against any form of medical waste incineration revival. Recently more than 10 hospitals unfurled a banner that says Incineration harms, Burn not in their façade. Twenty personalities from politics, entertainment and cause-oriented groups also made their strong statement against incineration in a 3-part Public Service Announcement dubbed Burn Not.

Copies of the reports are available at:

Toxic Debt: The Onerous Austrian Legacy of Medical Waste Incineration in the Philippines

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights

Medical Waste and Human Rights: Submission to the UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur

Waste from health-care activities (WHO Factsheet)

Media Contacts:

Sonia G. Astudillo, +63 9189182369

Merci Ferrer, +63 9209056113

HCWH is an international coalition with over 483 member organizations in 53 countries, working to transform the health care sector world-wide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically-sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and environment. For more information on HCWH-SEA, visit www.noharm.org/seasia