Global Green and Healthy Hospitals connects with Asian hospitals

The Global Green and Healthy Hospitals initiative is a network of hospitals and health organizations spanning over 3,500 hospitals in six continents. This network is composed of members who are committed to implementing GGHH’s ten interconnected goals. These goals are all geared towards reducing the environmental impact of health care, and promoting environmental health.

A vital part of GGHH’s platform is the sharing of case studies and best practices. The breakthroughs of one hospital, for example, can inspire another institution thousands of miles away. The network thrives on this free exchange of ideas, which is why it decided to create GGHH Connect, a site that combines social networking, content creation, and interaction.

We’re pretty excited about this, because the Health Care Without Harm and GGHH teams have been looking for ways to encourage members of our networks to interact in even better ways. While HCWH and GGHH already use Facebook and Twitter, we also wanted to give professionals another platform to engage.

Unlike Facebook and Twitter though, GGHH Connect is exclusively for members of GGHH. This means members can share and receive information in a safe, professional environment. Everyone can be assured of the credentials and expertise of each participant. This will tighten the global network of GGHH and create a climate more conducive to sharing information and breakthroughs.

The platform, which was developed by GGHH, Cisco Systems, and the Skoll Foundation, will enable all GGHH members to share and receive information, feedback, as well as work together to achieve their sustainability goals.

The Cisco-powered site is set to open on the fourth week of May. Right now, I’m working on spreading the word to hospitals and other potential members. If you’re interested on hopping onboard, I’d be happy to tell you more. Email me at Inigo@no-harm.org.

To learn more about the GGHH network as a whole, visit greenhospitals.net.

Iñigo de Paula is a Manila-based digital marketing consultant and freelance creative director. He is currently doing consultancy work for HCWH-Asia.

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