PRESS RELEASE
HEALTH CARE SECTOR CALLS ON THE DUTERTE GOVERNMENT FOR THE IMMEDIATE RATIFICATION OF THE MINAMATA CONVENTION AS IT ENTERS INTO FORCE TODAY
As the Minamata Convention on Mercury, enters into force today August 16, 2017, -- a globally-binding treaty that will phase out mercury-based medical devices by 2020, that will ultimately protect human health and the environment from mercury emissions and releases – Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Asia and the health care sector, calls on the Duterte government to immediately ratify the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
HCWH Asia has actively campaigned for the signing of the convention since 2006, and has worked with the Philippine Department of Health for the phase-out of mercury-containing thermometers and sphygmomanometers through in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions through DOH Administrative Order 21 (AO21).
The full phase-out was accomplished in 2010, and since then, Philippine hospitals are already mercury-free.
Faye Ferrer, Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Coordinator of HCWH Asia expresses that, “Mercury can be very dangerous to the public’s health and the environment that is why we are very happy that 128 countries signed the treaty including the Philippines and 7 other Asian countries namely Cambodia, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. It has also been ratified by 74 governments all over the world."
“It is also important to note that coal-fired power plants remain the second greatest source of mercury emission next to health care facilities because mercury emitted into the air can travel across the world before settling in as rainfall or dry gaseous form.” mentioned Paeng Lopez, Healthy Energy Initiative Coordinator of HCWH Asia.
Ferrer added that, “To further strengthen this primary victory and combat mercury’s health and environmental impacts, we are fervently calling on the Duterte government to immediately ratify the Mercury Convention prior to the First Conference of Parties (COP1) to be held on September 24-29, 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland.”
“HCWH Asia along with the #MercuryFreeHealthcare advocates are also very grateful for the concrete support of the then Philippine Department of Health in advocating a mercury-free health care facilities.” Ramon San Pascual, Executive Director of HCWH Asia stated.
The Mercury Free Health Care Campaign is already 12 years running here in the Philippines and is gaining ground in other Asian countries.