Mercury Free Dentistry
The 100% positive results of mercury contamination through consecutive bio-monitoring of the mercury in aquatic animals, Dental Health Care Professionals, People with mercury dental felling in their mouth and Female of child bearing age, it strongly felt among all and especially among dental health care professional and academicians to move towards mercury free dentistry in Nepal.
CEPHED jointly with Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health and Population, Department of Health Services, Management Division, Department of Health Services, Oral Health Focal Unit and Nepal Dental Association(NDA), start working on this issue from joint bio monitoring to awareness raising, capacity buildings and policy dialogue.
A two days national conference on Mercury Free Dentistry from May 26 to 27, 2014 has been organized by Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED), jointly with Nepal Dental Association (NDA) in close coordination with the Oral Health Focal Point, Management Division, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, government of Nepal and supported by World Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry (WAMFD), Asian Center for Environmental Health and UNDP GEF SGP.
The Objective of the Program was:
- Time bound Sectoral commitment to address Mercury Free Dentistry from Government., Professional Organization and Academic Institutions as Kathmandu Declaration/Resolution on 'Mercury-Free Dentistry'
- Awareness and capacity building about mercury amalgam and impact abatement of mercury in general.
- Effective implementation of MOHP decision on ban of Import, Purchase and Use of Mercury based equipments
- Push and Support for the Minamata Convention on Mercury ratification by Government.
- Increased possibilities of early compliance of Convention provisions.
- Protection of Professional & Public Health and Environment for all etc
Recommendations of National Conference on Mercury Free Dentistry
- Comprehensive regulatory frameworks (Acts and Regulation) to promote mercury free health care services and mercury free dentistry in Nepal by 2015/2016
- General Practitioners and Professionals Associations have plan to phase down the use of mercury amalgam in children and pregnant women by 2017 and phase down the use of mercury amalgam from dentistry sector by 2018.
- Representative of Academic University and Institutions have agreed to recommend and support for the revision of dental curriculum by 2019.
- Issues of awareness raising, capacity building, and development of waste management facilities and encourage of insurance policy and tax exemption for mercury free alternatives.
- Ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury as soon as possible.