Libreville, April 18, 2023 (AGP) – The results of the survey on the risks of mercury in healthcare establishments were presented this Tuesday to the Minister Delegate for Health and Social Affairs, Justine Libimbi-Mihindou, during a workshop organized at the Boulevard hotel in Libreville.
The objective of these meetings is to limit the use of mercury in the health sector, and to find alternative solutions with the same effectiveness.
Studies conducted on the use of mercury in health care facilities show that mercury levels can be dangerously high, especially in dentists, where this product is used in dental amalgams commonly called lead, including thermometers.
At the international level, serious consequences have been recorded on the health of populations. Gabon, which is a signatory to the minamata convention aimed at reducing the use of products containing mercury, is therefore invited to reduce or eliminate the use of this product.
For the Delegate Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Justine Libimbi-Mihindou, “ this umpteenth meeting perfectly illustrates that our country has regularly adhered to international initiatives aimed at protecting human health from the determining environmental effects (…) This survey on the risk of mercury in healthcare establishments is an activity that fits perfectly into the the improvement of the supply of care and the accessibility of the populations, instructed by the President of the Republic, Head of State, Ali Bongo Ondimba. The government is therefore committed to carrying out the necessary interventions to reduce the risk of mercury in healthcare establishments.« .
The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Gabon, Magaran Monzon Bagayoko, and health experts have called for stricter regulations on the use of mercury in healthcare establishments. Not without encouraging the use of alternative materials.
Mercury is a natural element present in the earth’s crust, released into the environment due to anthropogenic activities. It is considered a persistent pollutant that has an impact on human health, toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs, kidneys, skin, eyes, etc.
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