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Replace Mercury Thermometers
Health Care Foundation Nepal (HECAF) has asked the Ministry of Health and Population to replace mercury thermometers nationwide, shortly after they replaced mercury thermometers with digital ones at Bir Hospital.
“We have asked the Logistics Management Division under the ministry to stop the purchase of mercury-based products”
director of HECAF
HECAF had written a letter to the ministry on March 31 asking the government to collect records of mercury thermometers and mercury in the country. Mercury is mostly found in batteries, lab chemicals, fluorescent, pharmaceuticals, lights, housekeeping devices supplies, and dental amalgam.
According to World Health Organisation, mercury causes harmful effects to the nervous, digestive, respiratory and immune systems, and kidney and lung damage. Exposure to it may result in tumours, impaired vision and hearing, paralysis, insomnia and emotional instability. It also causes development deficit during pregnancy and childhood.
Mahesh Nakarmi, director of HECAF said they have asked the government to develop standards for non-mercury clinical thermometer and non-mercury sphygmomanometers through Bureau of Standard and Metrology.
They have also asked the government to develop and implement a national policy to ban the import, sale and commercialisation of mercury-based products and to issue government advisory for all hospitals to replace mercury products with approved alternatives.
“We have asked the Logistics Management Division under the ministry to stop the purchase of mercury-based products,” added Nakarmi.
He further said they had asked the government to build storage facilities at the regional level and store all mercury-based products collected from government health care facilities and reduce import tax on mercury free products.
Sarita Shrestha, in-charge of housekeeping division at Bir hospital said they used to purchase more than 1,200 mercury thermometers annually and release 1.2 kg of mercury per year into the environment.
The project to replace mercury thermometers that started in mid-July was completed after four months, and around 300 such thermometers were collected, added Shrestha.
According to Centre for Public Health and Environmental Development research on ‘Sector wise Import, Use and Management of Mercury in Nepal’, in 2008, Nepal imported 150 kg mercury compounds during fiscal year 2007/08.
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