Mercury Watch Series: TEMPERATURE CHECK: UP APO AND HEALTH CARE WITHOUT HARM RAISE TEMPERATURE

December 16, 2008

Mercury Watch Series:
TEMPERATURE CHECK: UP APO AND HEALTH CARE WITHOUT HARM RAISE TEMPERATURE

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH)-Southeast Asia and the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) International Collegiate Service Fraternity in the University of the Philippines-Diliman raise temperature with the latter’s yearly Oblation Run at the University and encourage bystanders to check their temperature with the mercury-free dot matrix thermometer that they gave out along with the traditional long-stemmed rose.

“As a tradition, APO carries several issues during the run. This is not just a parade of naked men running. We raise issues and raise people’s awareness.” AJ Verceles, APO-Eta Chapter Grand Chancellor said. “This year, we even raised temperature.”

Among the issues carried by APO is HCWH-SEA’s Mercury Watch Campaign. The Campaign is the group’s countdown to the Department of Health’s (DoH) Administrative Order 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of mercury in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions.

Several men were carrying Mercury-Free RP and First, Do No Harm banners to show APO-Eta’s support to the mercury phase-out campaign. Earlier last week, APO-Eta Chapter and HCWH-SEA launched a Campaign Video and exhibit at the University’s AS Walk. Both materials talked about the dangers of mercury in health care.

“Through this run, we hope that APO-Eta will help raise the mercury phase-out issue to the consciousness of the people. We now have AO 21 mandating this phase-out, we need to watch every step along the way to 2010,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.

“Countries around the world have proven that switching to mercury alternatives is feasible. US, members of the European Union, and Latin America have banned mercury thermometers and other equipments that use mercury. In the Philippines, the Philippine Heart Center is the first to switch to non-mercury alternatives,” she added.

“In the US, you cannot buy a mercury thermometer and mercury blood pressure devices are on their way out. This is the 2010 goal,” Ferrer pointed out.

Verceles said that although the mercury issue is just one of the five issues carried in this year’s run, “all of them deserve our immediate attention. And we believe that this run has indeed raised not just temperature but awareness.”

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is a global coalition of 473 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)