KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 1
The Future Policy Award, 2023 has taken a closer look at policies for a pollution-free world, regulating the use of hazardous chemicals in products, with a focus on children and their environment and awarded with WORLD FUTURE POLICY AWARD, 2023 to Nepal's Mercury Free Health Care Services and Mercury Free Dentistry Policy.
The groundbreaking mercury-free health care service and mercury-free dentistry policy decision of 21 August 2019 of the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health and Population banning import, purchase and use ofall mercury-based equipment and dental amalgam to prevent exposure of children below 15 years of age, pregnant and breastfeeding women and all other age groups to this neuro-toxic chemical mercury was adjudged one of the four winners for this year's Future Policy Award, also known as the 'Oscar on best policies.' Ambassador of Nepal to Germany, Ram Kaji Khadka received the award on behalf of the Government of Nepal in a physical award ceremony along with the high-level delegation dinner programme organised by the Government of Germany during the 5th International Conference on Chemical Management (ICCM5) recently organised from September 25 to 29 in Bonn, Germany.
He thanked the World Future Council for the recognition.
"This will inspire us to further strengthen the implementation of our mercury-free health care service and mercury-free dentistry policy along with other policies to protect human health, especially children's health and the environment," he said.
"Our effort to ban mercury-based equipment and mercury dental amalgam drive was successful in shifting to safer mercury-free alternative measuring devices like digital thermometers, digital and/or aneroid sphygmomanometer and mercury free dental amalgam like GIC, compomer and composite fillings before the country ratified the UN Minamata Convention on Mercury."
"This 2023 Future Policy Award in the Category of DEN- TAL AMALGAM FILLINGS is a splendid recognition of Nepal's policy and Nepal as the First Law in Asia to protect children and pregnant and breastfeeding women from contamination with mercury amalgam with the aim of a complete phase-out," said Mr Ram Charitra Sah, executive director and Environment Scientist at the Centre for Public Health and Environment Development, who was also present on this occasion. He is currently participating in the ICCM5. He and his organisation CEPHED, the campaigner behind bringing this policy, have undergone numerous ups and downs and finally bagged a high level of national and international recognition.
"This global recognition affirms the importance of adopting a mercury-free health care service and mercury-free dentistry policy with the successful shifting to most protective mercury-free alternative devices and filling materials crafted through an open and participatory process," said Mr Sah.
He said, "Stakeholders' participation is key to catalysing this policy and in its effective implementation by switching to mercury-free equipment and tooth-filling materials and the eventual elimination of all mercury sources from the health sector, a major source of mercury exposure in children, patients, doctors, nurses and heavy lead of mercury to the environment."
"Mercury is a toxic heavy metal that has multiple impacts on those exposed to it, especially children, pregnant and breastfeeding women. Mercury is mixed with other metal alloys to prepare dental amalgam.
The award was conferred on the Government of Nepal in Dental Amalgam Categories in relation to the policy of banning mercury-based equipment and Dental Amalgam Policy Decision, 2029. Handing over the award to Ambassador Khadka, Executive Secretary of the Minamata Convention on Mercury Monika Stankiewicz said, "This Nepali law is one of the first regulations in Asia to ban the use of dental medicine among children under 15 years of age and pregnant and nourishing women, and aims to phase out mercury as soon as possible."
"Thanks to the law, most Nepali dentists have shifted to the alternatives thus significantly reducing the risks of mercury pollution.
Laws like this inspire the most recent amendment to the Minamata Convention to restrict the use of dental amalgam in the most vulnerable population," she said.
A version of this article appears in the print on October 2, 2023, of The Himalayan Times
