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Mercury-Free Health Care Gains Momentum
For the past five years HCWH has been working with partners around the world to promote the substitution of mercury-based medical devices with safe, accurate and affordable alternatives.
We are working with nurses, doctors, hospital managers, health system leaders, ministries of health and environment, along with United Nations agencies in dozens of countries. On a global level we joined forces two years ago with the World Health Organization to promote a worldwide phase-out of mercury thermometers and blood pressure devices.
In this short time we have generated significant momentum. HCWH and WHO have just released a two year progress report on our global initiative entitled Toward the Tipping Point. This report documents the evolution of a series of national policies in several developing countries, the role mega-city health systems are playing, and pilots in more than 14 new countries - all to promote mercury-free healthcare.
The report finds that "with adequate resources, the Initiative can build on success and scale-up activities to achieve a global phase-out."
This momentum toward mercury-free health care was highlighted at the recent first round of negotiations for a global treaty on mercury. Several governments, international organizations such as WHO, and civil society health sector groups like the World Medical Association and the International Council of Nurses all agreed that substituting mercury-based medical devices in the health sector is a positive first step.
Indeed, it is "low-hanging fruit" for governments, as it is an economically and technically viable measure that most everyone can agree upon in both developing and developed countries. HCWH believes that mercury-free health care can help set the stage for a strong treaty that protects public health and the environment from mercury pollution.
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Josh Karliner
International Team Coordinator |
