In a busy dental clinic, a dentist carefully prepares a dental amalgam, a common material used for fillings. This amalgam, a mixture of metals including mercury, has been widely used in dental practices for decades due to its durability and cost-effectiveness.
However, the very mercury that helps restore smiles, poses a silent yet potent threat to human health and the environment. Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern, mercury’s harmful presence and continued use in health care settings requires urgent and strategic action.
In response, WHO and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) have embarked on a transformative journey through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project, piloted in five countries, including Uganda. The five-year GEF project seeks to eradicate uncontrolled release of mercury from mercury containing sphygmomanometers (blood pressure measuring devices) and thermometers in healthcare settings, thereby safeguarding both human and environmental health. This ambitious project is guided by the expertise of the UNEP Global mercury partnership and overseen by dedicated steering committees at both global and national levels.
In Uganda, Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE), alongside the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), are the leading government entities for the project. Their collaborative efforts will foster a culture of safety within healthcare settings.
Through this initiative, WHO is dedicated to protecting those most at risk, such as children and pregnant women, from the harmful effects of mercury. We are committed to creating a future where both our health and the environment are safe and thriving,” said Dr. Suraj Man Shrestha, Programme Management Officer at WHO Uganda. “By removing mercury from medical devices, we aim to ensure that healthcare settings are safer for everyone and that our environment is free from toxic pollutants.”
Two pilot health facilities in the country will benefit from substitution of mercury medical devices with mercury-free ones. These include a public and a private not for profit health facility. In April 2025, a team comprising WHO Uganda country office, Ministry of Health, and NEMA staffs visited the two pilot facilities—Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in southwestern Uganda and St. Francis Hospital, Nsambya in Kampala—to establish the quantity of mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers to be replaced with mercury-free devices. The team plans to visit Luweero Industries’ storage facility in Nakasongola district to establish procedures for storing mercury waste from the pilot facilities.
Information from these processes will be used to inform the national inventory and situation assessment to be conducted later this year. In addition, the analysis will guide the country on the costs associated with substitution, storage and final disposal of mercury containing medical devices in health facilities across Uganda.
“On the whole, the project plans to phase out mercury-added medical measuring devices at a rate of 20% per year within the five years, said Maureen Nyonyintono, the WHO Uganda project focal person. “Through collaborative efforts with MoH, MoWE and key stakeholders, the project has incorporated the Minamata Convention provisions for mercury and appropriate waste management into the national environmental strategy.”
As Uganda moves towards a future without mercury, the combined efforts of WHO, UNEP, and national partners bring hope and strength to the country. Each mercury device that is replaced with a safer alternative marks a significant step towards protecting the health of Ugandans and preserving the environment. This journey towards a mercury-free Uganda is a testament to the power of collaboration and commitment to a healthier, safer tomorrow.
