Batac, Ilocos Norte -- Health Care Without Harm - Asia (HCWH-Asia) joins the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) and all hospitals in the country in celebrating this year’s National Hospital Week (August 6-12) themed “Alagang Pinoy, Alagang DOH tungo sa Kalusugang Pangkalahatan.” 

HCWH - Asia took part in the week-long celebration by participating in the launch of the DOH’s Universal Health Care High Impact Five (Hi-5) program at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital in Batac, Ilocos Norte. Gracing the event were Dr. Ma. Lourdes Otayza of the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center; Dr. Edwin Monis, Division Chief of Local Health Support Division of the DOH; Dr. Francisco Ranada, President of the Philippine Hospital Association for Ilocos Region; and HCWH-Asia Director Merci Ferrer.

During the forum, Chief of Medical Center Dr. Otayza of the Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center emphasized the need for the health sector to mobilize and act together towards adopting environmentally sustainable practices. 

Dr. Lourdes Otayza of the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center

“One advocacy that we want to strengthen is environmental consciousness, particularly on how we treat our hospital wastes. We want to help promote respect for our environment alongside improving the services that we give to our community. We hope the entire hospital sector will take on this challenge.”

The DOH's universal health care program Hi-5 was also launched during the celebration

HCWH-Asia Director Merci Ferrer, who gave a presentation on health care waste management and non-incineration technologies/systems, also reiterated the need to achieve better health care waste management through a comprehensive health care waste assessment. 

HCWH-Asia Director Merci Ferrer received a certificate of appreciation from DOH and the Mariano Marcos Hospital

“We congratulate the DOH in pushing for universal health care. We also hope that in its goal to improve the health of Filipinos through a universal health care program, the DOH would also weigh in on the issue of waste management and encourage public spending on health care waste management systems that are not harmful to people and the environment.”