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
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