- General Santos City, South Cotabato
The only recipient of Do No Harm Award in Mindanao, General Santos Doctors Hospital is among the 1st hospitals in the country to have a mercury-out program as early as 2007. Sr. Arcelita Sarnillo initiated the program in relation to the Solid Waste Management Program of the hospital where Health Care Without Harm was invited to give a seminar on mercury alternatives. The seminar was well-attended by the hospital employees, other nearby hospitals and Local Government Units.
AO 21 was an addition to the already motivated administration of GSDH to phase-out mercury. Patient safety, health workers safety and concern for the environment came in as primary reasons for the move.
To date, GSDH has been a consistent model hospital for Region 12 with their health care waste management practices and alternative appropriate technology for the treatment of infectious wastes. They have initiatives in the non-use of PVCs, veering away from harmfull cleaners and moving towards safer alternatives, healthy food and green building,all for environmental health.
In five years time, the hospital envisions a waste water treatment facility in place and use of alternative devices that are DEHP/PVC-free.