Minamata Treaty: Mercury-free Health Care by 2020!

One of the ten Global Green and Health Hospitals goals is to substitute chemicals with safer alternatives. A top action item under this goal is to substitute mercury-based thermometers and blood pressure devices with accurate, affordable alternatives. Thousands of hospitals around the world— many members of GGHH– have already made the switch and more are doing so every day.

Going mercury-free just became both more urgent and easier to do. On January 19 in Geneva, as part of the final text of a global mercury treaty, the world’s governments agreed to end the manufacture, import and export of all mercury-based medical devices— effectively phasing them out by 2020. They also called for a phasing-down of dental amalgam— a major source of mercury in the global environment. Negotiated over several years, the Minamata Treaty is set to be signed at a diplomatic conference in Japan in October 2013.

The health care aspect of the Minamata treaty is a major victory for all who have worked to substitute mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers (blood pressure devices). The agreed upon 2020 phase-out date represents the global acceptance and institutionalization of 15 years of work by HCWH and many others around the world to substitute mercury-based medical devices with safe, accurate and affordable alternatives. From the nurse on the ward, to the hospital director, to the public health official, to health professional associations, federations, governments and international organizations who have organized for mercury-free health care around the world—all should share in the credit for and celebrate this important achievement.

As a result of the ongoing global efforts, mercury-based medical devices are already phased-out or being phased out in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. The treaty will further expand and engage new elements of government and civil society from around the world. We are extremely pleased with this outcome.

HCWH, as part of the joint Global Mercury-Free Healthcare Initiative that it co-leads with WHO, will be focusing on the target date of 2020 set by the treaty. We will be working with health professionals, hospitals, manufacturers, health systems and ministries of health to assure the rapid transition to accurate, affordable alternatives in order to achieve global mercury-free healthcare by 2020. Furthermore, we will be continuing our effort in promoting and advocating the environmentally sound management of mercury waste from health care facilities.

Click here to view the press release issued by Health Care Without Harm and the World Health Organization on behalf of the Global Mercury Free Healthcare Initiative.

Josh Karliner, HCWH International Coordinator

HCWH-SEA is now Asia

The year 2012 was a great year for us and the people whose lives we hope have touched. We have expanded our campaigns. The mercury campaign was expanded, and is now the Safer Chemicals program which now includes other hazardous chemicals in the health care setting. The Medical Waste campaign has ventured into a deeper look at the Philippine Health Care Waste Management Manual and continuously worked with the Anti-Incineration Road (AIR) Show (a collaboration between Philippine-based NGOs Ecowaste Coaliton (Ecowaste), and Mother Earth Foundation (MEF), and the international group Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives/Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance (GAIA) in the Philippines. Our office staff has expanded in numbers too.

2013 promises to be an even more exciting and at the same time a challenging year for us. We do not only celebrate a decade of meaningful years of work, we are also expanding the advocacy for environmental health in the whole Asian region.

We are now HCWH-Asia.

Asia region is the most diverse culturally, the one with the fastest growing economies and where several mega cities are situated. The cause for health and the environment should be the norm in this growing and dynamic region, as it should be too globally.

This year and in the coming years ahead, we hope to highlight more the encompassing issue of climate change and how it relates to other equally crucial issues such as toxic chemicals, improper health care waste management, burning of wastes, unsustainable infrastructure and how it impacts on our health and the environment.

This year, we go full blast in engaging hospitals to be part of the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals. GGHH is a global network and a movement of hospitals and health care systems that practices 10 interrelated goals: leadership, chemicals, waste, energy, water, transportation, food, pharmaceuticals, building and purchasing.

We call on private and public health care systems, hospitals and clinics to be part of this dynamic movement. We strongly believe and trust our partners in the government, international government and non-government groups, academe, scientists, donors, supporters, and other stakeholders that they will continue to be with us in this important work that we are doing.

We invite you to be part of our 10-10-13. Ten goals, ten years in 2013.

To our partners, supporters and friends, you all are a big part of HCWH Asia’s growth, substance and success.

Let’s continue the advocacy and the collaboration.

You ALL ROCK!

Merci Ferrer, HCWH-Asia Director