Medical devices calibration centre established in Accra

The Ministry of Health has established a devices calibration centre to help monitor and eliminate the use of mercury in medical devices and processes.

The initiative forms part of efforts to safeguard health and protect people from the effects of mercury in their system in line with the Minamata Convention. The convention is a global commitment to phase out the use of mercury in various health products and processes due to its implications on people.

Risk

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Alhaji Hafiz Adam, who inaugurated the centre, said the convention recognises mercury as a potent neurotoxin that poses significant risk to human health and the environment.

He said in September 2014, the country took a decisive step by signing the convention which was ratified in 2017. “Our resolve to uphold the principles of the Minamata Convention has been unwavering. We understand the grave implications of mercury exposure, particularly in medical devices, and the urgency to mitigate these risks.

“It is against this backdrop the MoH has taken proactive measures to implement the provisions of the convention. “Firstly, we embarked on an extensive awareness campaign of health professionals on the tenets of the Minamata Convention and on the need to transition to non-mercury alternatives.

“Secondly, recognising the need for stringent standards, we collaborated with the Ghana Standards Authority to develop robust guidelines for the production and use of non-mercury devices,” Alhaji Hafiz added.

He said that the standards were not only to ensure the safety and efficacy of medical equipment, but also underscored the ministry’s commitment to quality health care.  

Effort

In a speech read on his behalf, the Director, Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of MoH, Emma Ofori Agyemang, said since the country signed and ratified the convention, his outfit had embarked on a journey to phase out the use of products that contained mercury in the health sector.

She named the products to include thermometers, some BP monitoring equipment and dental amalgams. “The institution of this calibration centre symbolises our unwavering dedication to protecting public health,” the director said.

Writer’s email: Doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh