Brazil — In an event co-organized by the International NGO Health Care Without Harm, the WHO and the Sustainable Development Unit of England's National Health Service, and sponsored by the United States Department of State, four panelists discussed how the health sector can play a leading role in promoting sustainability by reducing its environmental footprint, thereby also promoting public health.
Dr. Maria Neira, Director of WHO's Department of Public Health and Environment discussed a series of greening initiatives in health care around the world, arguing that sustainably managing health care waste, substituting hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives and reducing the health sector's climate footprint all are measures that can combat environmental pollution and have significant health co-benefits.
Dr. David Pencheon of the NHS gave a pre-recorded presentation by video articulating the ambitious and rigorous approach the NHS is taking to reducing its climate footprint by 80% by 2050.
Dr. Gonzalo Vecino Neto, Superintendent of the Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo discussed a broad diversity of greening initiatives in Brazil's health sector, while advocating for an ambitious approach for the health sector on these issues.
And Joshua Karliner, International Coordinator for Health Care Without Harm presented the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Network, (www.greenhospitals.org) a global initiative to bring together hospitals, health systems and health organizations to reduce their environmental footprint and promote public environmental health.
Event Details
Region
Global