Health Care Without Harm, WHO Announce Partnership for Global Reduction of Mercury-Based Medical Devices

NEW DELHI, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

Health Care Without Harm and the World Health Organization today launched a
global partnership to substitute mercury-based medical devices with safer,
accurate and affordable alternatives.

The announcement came during the opening of the South Asian Conference on
Alternatives to Mercury in Health Care, an event sponsored by the two
organizations and the Indian NGO Toxics Link.

"This initiative aims to replace no less than 70 percent of all mercury
thermometers and blood pressure devices around the world with digital and
aneroid alternatives within the decade," said Alexander von Hildebrand,
Regional Adviser for Chemical Safety for WHO's South East Asia Regional Office.
"It is our goal to significantly reduce the threat posed by mercury spills to
patient and worker health, as well as the global environment."

Several countries have already taken steps to mandate safer, accurate and
affordable alternatives to mercury-based medical devices. It is virtually
impossible to find a mercury thermometer in the United States today, while the
European Union has banned them outright, as has Taiwan. The Philippines has
mandated a phase-out of all mercury medical devices over the next two years,
while hundreds of hospitals in Latin America -- from Mexico to Brazil to
Argentina are moving toward alternatives.

"This Partnership is a vehicle for health care leaders, government
officials, NGOs and private sector participants from around the world to join
forces in support of environmental health," said Josh Karliner, International
Coordinator for Health Care Without Harm. "Anyone committed to mercury
elimination in health care can join via the Partnership website,
www.mercuryfreehealthcare.org."

The Partnership is based on both WHO and HCWH's ongoing efforts for
substitution of mercury-based medical devices. It is also a component of the UN
Environment Programme Mercury Products Partnership.

At the Delhi conference, health care sector leaders from across India and
neighboring countries, along with experts from around the world are gathered to
share experiences and learn more on how to make the switch. Organizers have
also convened business leaders and aid agencies to discuss bolstering
production of the non-mercury devices. "The conference is an important step for
India to begin playing a leadership role in this essential global initiative,"
said conference host Ravi Agarwal, Director of Toxics Link.

Health Care Without Harm is a global coalition of 473 organizations in more
than 50 countries working to protect health by reducing pollution in the health
care sector. Visit Health Care Without Harm at www.noharm.org.

The World Health Organisation, the international agency within the United
Nations system responsible for health, has a number of programmes that address
the threats posed by environmental pollutants providing information and
guidelines for risk assessment and management, for preventing human exposure
and for improving the diagnosis, treatment and surveillance of health effects.


SOURCE: Health Care Without Harm

CONTACT: Josh Karliner,
HCWH,
+1-415-613-5386 (mobile in Delhi);

Alexander von Hildebrand,
WHO,
+.91.11.233.09.505;

Yves Chartier,
WHO-Geneva,
+ 41 22 791 16 07;

Ravi Agarwal,
Toxics Link,
+91 9810037355;

Dr. Peter Orris,
University of Chicago,
+1-312-446-3217 (mobile in Delhi)