Inquirer Business, the Philippine newspaper reports that currently, Health Care Without Harm- Asia is in the midst of a campaign known as Global Green and Health Hospitals (GGHH). The GGHH Network is a conglomeration of hospitals, health systems and health organizations that represent the interests of over 3,500 hospitals spanning six continents. The network is composed of members committed to implementing 10 interconnected goals aimed to reduce ecological footprints and promote public environmental health. The goals include:
• Leadership that prioritizes environmental health; • Chemical substitution to replace harmful chemicals with safer alternatives; • Waste reduction, treatment and safe disposal of healthcare waste; • Energy efficiency and renewable energy generation; • Water reduction and supply of potable water; • Improved transportation strategies for patients and staff; • Food purchasing and availability of sustainably grown and healthy food; • Safe management and disposal of pharmaceuticals; • Building design and construction that support green and healthy hospitals • Purchasing safer and more sustainable products and materials.
Says Health Care Without Harm-Asia Director Merci Ferrer: “Everything is interconnected, and we believe that we are now at a point when the health system is going beyond their oath of ‘first do no harm.’ Health systems are now healing, and they are healing not just their patients but the environment too.”
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