Thailand’s Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health is among the newest member of the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Network (GGHHN). And why not, they have the GREEN and CLEAN Hospital to boast that greening and cleaning of hospitals are top priorities.
The GREEN and CLEAN Hospital project is a public health collaborative campaign to stop global warming through sustainable and ecological solutions. At present, 3,442 public health care service units participated in the project and 13 are already successful models.
GREEN stands for the five activities for the project and CLEAN are the five strategies for its promotion.
G – for garbage will promote the use of 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle to manage the solid wastes.
R – for restroom deals with improvement in the public health care service to meet Thailand’s public toilet standard.
E – for energy will look into energy reduction and promotion of alternative energy.
E – for environment management to reduce global warming and increase healthy environment. It will deal closely on the promotion of healthy workplace especially in the public health care facilities.
N – for nutrition promoting food safety, organic food and community participation in agriculture activities to minimize chemical substances such as chemical fertilizer and insecticide. It also includes energy savings in transportation.
For strategies,
C – communication through public media to create understanding of the Project.
L –leadership by starting prototype of the Project.
E – effectiveness will measure the target reach and outcomes.
A – activities is engaging participation and cooperation.
N – networking is the connection among project sites to work together.
In few years, the GREEN and CLEAN project hopes to increase the participation from health care services units in Thailand, expand hospital network and increase effectiveness and success on carbon and greenhouse gas emission reduction.
As a member of the GGHHN, the experience of Thailand’s GREEN and CLEAN Project will show that strong leadership is crucial in promoting a nationwide sustainable health care system.