Antipolo, Rizal -- Health Care Without Harm Asia recently joined the Department of Health (DOH) in the Summit on Green and Safe Health Care Facilities participated in by hospital representatives from all over the country.

Philippine Senator Loren Legarda cites data from HCWH on health care's energy consumption.

In her keynote speech, Senator Loren Legarda encouraged the health sector to be leaders of environmental health and sustainability to in order to protect public health. The senator also cited data from Health Care Without Harm showing hospitals and health facilities as major contributors in energy consumption.

“Addressing the climate crisis needs a whole-of-society approach. We need the government to lead, but other sectors of society, including the health care sector, must give their wholehearted commitment and take action as well,” said Senator Legarda.

“Hospitals are critical infrastructure as these facilities house the most vulnerable people—the sick, the elderly and children. It is a must that we make our hospitals and other medical facilities not only green and sustainable, but also disaster-resilient. This is in line with our commitment to the Safe Hospitals Campaign of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).”

HCWH Asia Director Ramon San Pascual, who introduced Global Green and Healthy Hospitals to participants, also lauded the DOH’s efforts to start transforming health facilities in the country to become low-carbon and resilient to the impacts of climate change. San Pascual presented the 10 Sustainability Goals of GGHH, which offers opportunities for hospitals to implement policies and projects that will help lessen their environmental footprint.