The Global Mercury Partnership and its Area of work on mercury in products organized, in cooperation with World Health Organization (WHO), on 13 October 2020 a webinar on mercury-containing medical devices.
Moderated by the Global Mercury Partnership Secretariat, this webinar had the following objectives:
- Share available information, guidance and knowledge on sphygmomanometers and thermometers with a focus on import, export and production aspects;
- Discuss challenges faced by countries and other stakeholders in the phasing-out of medical devices;
- Encourage experience-exchange, share best practices and provide relevant support to stakeholders for achieving a sustainable phase out of these devices.
The event featured presentations by the following panelists:
- Mr. Tom Groeneveld, US Environmental Protection Agency, Coordinator of the Partnership Area on Mercury in Products
- Ms. Marianne Bailey, Programme Officer at the Minamata Secretariat, UNEP
- Ms. Adriana Velazquez Berumen and Ms. Maggie Montgomery from the World Health Organization
The webinar was attended by more than 100 participants.
Useful resources:
Zero Mercury Guide for phasing out Mercury added Products English / French / Spanish
Zero mercury general product page
UNEP Global Mercury Partnership: Products Partnership area webpage
Developing national strategies for phasing out mercury-containing thermometers and sphygmomanometers in health care, including in the context of the Minamata Convention on Mercury: Key Considerations and Step-by-Step Guidance, WHO 2015
English / French / Spanish
WHO technical specifications for automated non-invasive blood pressure measuring devices with cuff, WHO, 2020 English
Decommissioning medical devices, WHO, 2019 English
Safe management of wastes from health-care activities, 2nd ed., WHO, 2014
English / Persian
