The Department of Health – Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH-MMCHD) formally confers the 2023 Green and Safe Health Facilities Award upon qualified recipients in the National Capital Region (NCR). (Photo courtesy: MMCHD)
Can you imagine a hospital that heals the sick and heals our planet Earth as well?
A healthcare system that cares for the health of the people but also looks after the health of the environment.
This vision of a transformative healthcare landscape is being realized in Metro Manila and soon in the entire Philippines, thanks to the Department of Health’s (DOH) “Green and Safe Health Facilities” development program.
What is “Green and Safe Health Facilities”?
The innovative program aims to create a network of climate-smart healthcare facilities while continuing to provide quality and equitable healthcare services to people. By integrating green practices into hospital operations as well as infrastructure, the program is geared towards:
- Minimizing the carbon footprint of the healthcare sector to proactively reduce the impact of hospital facilities on environmental health.
- Increasing the resilience of hospitals to climate change-driven adversities by ensuring the holistic environmental quality of facilities.
- Improving public health outcomes through the establishment of a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment for patients, staff, and the entire community.
What’s in it for Filipinos seeking healthcare?
The Green and Safe Health Facilities initiative offers a wide range of benefits for Filipinos especially when it comes to the provision of a safe environment that is responsive to their healthcare needs.
By staying committed to the greening of health facilities, communities can have access to a health system that can protect their well-being in the face of environmental stresses.
With greener hospitals, an enhanced patient experience can also be expected, as it will provide for a comfortable and healing environment for patients, thereby promoting faster recovery.
How can we achieve a climate-resilient healthcare system?
A healthcare facility that is climate-smart implements interventions that ultimately lead to the green road.
As one of the primary consumers of energy, for instance, hospitals can opt to use renewable and clean energy to lessen their contribution to carbon emissions in the promotion of sustainable and responsible energy consumption.
Meanwhile, health facilities can help achieve water efficiency by utilizing scarce resources with mindfulness of water conservation practices such as recycling and harvesting.
Efficiently using resources like energy and water can significantly reduce the operational costs of hospitals and free up funds for patient care.
Implementing sustainable healthcare waste management can also aid in the greening of facilities through the continuous practice of eco-friendly waste collection, segregation, and disposal.
The establishment of open green spaces within the vicinity of health facilities is a plus knowing that it can promote improved environmental air quality and public health.
Prioritizing the retrofitting of hospital infrastructure to make it more resilient to natural disasters is also beneficial towards ensuring the continuity of care even during emergencies.
In particular, several Metro Manila hospitals are already reaping the benefits of the initiative. The prestigious ‘4 Green Stars’ Award was recently conferred upon the Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center and Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital while the ‘3 Green Stars’ Award was received by the Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium (DJNRMHS), Rizal Medical Center, Philippine Orthopedic Center, as well as the Pasay City General Hospital.
A brighter, environmentally-sound future
The DOH’s “Green and Safe Health Facilities” program is a shining example of how innovation and environmental responsibility can go hand-in-hand. By investing in sustainable healthcare solutions, the program is building a healthier future for Filipinos and our planet.
So, what can you do?
- Support hospitals in implementing green practices.
- Encourage your local hospital to join the program.
- Make environmentally conscious choices in your own life.
Together, we can make a difference and ensure that healthcare facilities are not only healing centers but also beacons of sustainability in the Philippines. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
