The report on baseline survey for use of mercury-based medical devices in health care organizations of Mongolia / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

ABSTRACT

Goal To conduct mercury-based medical devises used in health care organizations and develop strategy and recommendations on futher activityMaterial and Methods:A cross-sectional study design was used. Totally 578 units of 38 governmental and private health care organizations inUlaanbaatar, Darkhan, Erdenet cities and Uvurkhangai aimags were conducted in the survey. The survey was conductedby means of a questionnaire given to the medical workers and doctors to complete. There were 3 parts of questions. Thefirst part of the questionnaire dealth with the use of mercury-based medical devices, working, transportation and storageconditions, and waste management. The second section was concerned with knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) ofmedical personals for safety handling, storage and disposal of mercury containing devices. The third part of the questionnairedealth with the dental amalgam.Mercury concentration of dental amalgam samples were detected by portable mercury vapor analyser RP-91, PYRO-915+ in the Poison Information Center of Public Health Institute. Data processing was done by using statistical programSPSS-10.Conclusions:1. Mercury containing devices such as thermometer, blood pressure sphygmomanometer, energy saving fluorescencelamp and termostates were used in urban and rural hospitals. There are not any regulations for safe handling,storage, and transportation and disposal system of mercury containing divices.2. Knowledge on handling, storaging and disposing mercury based devices are not enough among the medical personals.The current situations for inapproiprate disposal system can be posed to increase riskes of environmentalpollution with mercury.3. Knowledge on health impact of spilled mercury from broken mercury based medical devices is not enoughamong the medical workers. Safety manual for handling, storage and disposal of mercury based medical devicesand promotion materials for health adverse effect and prevention methods have not been developed.4. 14.7% of the investigated dental hospitals and cabinets were used dental amalgam for treatment. Of these wasinvolved the fist stage hospitals. Dental amalgams were imported from China and Russia. Any special recommendationsand rules for safe use, storage and disposal of dental amalgam have not developed.