2009 Do No Harm Award for Mercury-Free Health Care


The 1st Do No Harm Award in 2009 was given by Health Care Without Harm-Asia to hospitals who have complied to the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Order 21 on the Gradual Phase-out of Mercury in all Philippine Health Care Facilities and Institutions by 2010.

 The criteria for the 1st Do No Harm Award are:

  • Recognition that mercury in health care is a threat not only to patients and environment but also to the workers.
  • Willingness to phase-out mercury even without the benefit of an Administrative Order.
  • Active participation in several HCWH-Asia’s environmental health campaigns and movement to better their facilities so that it is safer, cleaner, and less-toxic to patients and workers.
  • Verified information on phase-out procedures through accomplished survey forms, phone call verification and actual hospital visit.

Of the 1,847 hospitals in the country, 16 hospitals have received the Do No Harm honor. These are:

1. Florencio V. Bernabe Sr. Memorial Hospital, Paranaque City
2. General Santos Doctors’ Hospital, General Santos City, South Cotabato
3. Las Pinas General Hospitals and Satellite Trauma Center, Las Pinas City
4. Makati Medical Center, Makati City
5. Manila Adventist Medical Center, Pasay City
6. Medical Center Paranaque, Inc., Paranaque City
7. Notre Dame De Chartres Hospital, Baguio City
8. Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Quezon City
9. Philippine Heart Center, Quezon City
10. Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Muntinlupa City
11. San Juan De Dios Educational Foundation Inc., Pasay City
12. San Lazaro Hospital, Manila
13. St. Louis University Hospitals of the Sacred Heart, Baguio City
14. St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital, San Juan City
15. St. Paul Hospital Cavite, Dasmarina, Cavite
16. St. Paul Hospital Tuguegarao, Tuguegarao City