NEW DELHI, Oct 24: India is stepping up efforts to eliminate mercury-containing medical thermometers and blood pressure monitors from healthcare facilities by 2030, with the government and international partners working to improve equipment procurement, strengthen waste management and protect patients and healthcare workers.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in an update issued on October 22, said India was advancing a national strategy to phase out mercury based medical devices. The initiative builds on nearly two decades of policy action and aims to ensure that healthcare facilities have access to reliable alternatives while preventing the release of hazardous mercury into the environment. Mercury has traditionally been used in certain medical thermometers and blood pressure measuring instruments because of its physical properties and reliability. However, the metal poses significant health and environmental risks when devices break, leak or are discarded without proper handling.
The transition to mercury free healthcare therefore involves more than replacing old equipment. Hospitals must also establish procedures for identifying existing devices, collecting mercury containing waste, storing it safely, arranging authorised transportation and ensuring environmentally sound disposal.
The latest initiative reflects a broader effort to make healthcare services safer while aligning medical waste practices with India’s environmental commitments.
Government agencies strengthen coordination
A technical mission involving the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, WHO, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Global Environment Facility, the Minamata Convention Secretariat, the Global Mercury Partnership and state-level officials met in New Delhi from September 28 to 30 to review progress and strengthen implementation capacity.
The discussions focused on the practical challenges involved in removing mercury-containing equipment from healthcare settings and managing devices that remain in use or storage.
According to WHO, 30 state-nominated nodal officers received online training on the national strategy. The programme covered occupational safety and the systems needed to segregate, collect, temporarily store, transport and dispose of mercury waste safely.
The authorities are working towards establishing the necessary mercury-waste management systems through coordination between health and environment departments by late 2027.
This coordination is important because medical facilities cannot complete the transition simply by purchasing new thermometers and blood pressure monitors. They must also ensure that discarded equipment does not enter ordinary waste streams, where breakage could expose sanitation workers, patients and nearby communities to contamination.
The programme also requires cooperation between hospitals, equipment suppliers, waste-management agencies and government departments to ensure that replacement devices remain available and meet appropriate quality standards.
Nine states and Union Territories report mercury-free services
WHO reported that 14 states had completed inventories and assessments of mercury-based medical devices, while 12 states had issued phase-out orders.
Delhi, Punjab, Manipur, Sikkim, Goa, Haryana, Ladakh, Chandigarh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have eliminated the use of mercury-based medical devices in public health services, according to the organisation.
These developments indicate that several regions have moved beyond planning towards implementation. However, the broader national target requires sustained action across healthcare facilities with different infrastructure, procurement capacities and waste-management arrangements.
Completing inventories is an important first step because authorities need to establish how many mercury-containing devices remain in hospitals and other medical facilities. Such assessments can help determine replacement requirements, procurement costs and the volume of hazardous waste that will need specialised handling.
States that have already issued phase-out orders can also provide practical lessons on equipment selection, staff training, purchasing procedures and disposal arrangements.
The next challenge will be to ensure that implementation progresses consistently, including in facilities where resources and specialised waste-management services may be limited.
Safe alternatives and equipment quality remain priorities
The transition requires medical facilities to procure reliable alternatives that can deliver accurate readings under routine clinical conditions.
Thermometers and blood pressure monitors are used widely in primary healthcare centres, district hospitals, specialist institutions and emergency departments. Their accuracy is important because temperature and blood pressure measurements often inform decisions about further examination, diagnosis and treatment.
Hospitals therefore need to ensure that replacement equipment meets appropriate technical standards and is maintained according to manufacturers’ instructions.
Procurement decisions must also consider durability, ease of use, availability of replacement components, calibration requirements and the ability of staff to operate the equipment correctly.
WHO said its technical mission visited Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, one of India’s major tertiary-care institutions, which became mercury-free in 2007. The visit provided an opportunity to examine procurement practices, the handling of older devices and approaches to storage and disposal.
The expert group also visited industrial units in north-west Delhi to review concerns involving manufacturing quality and supply.
These issues are important because a nationwide transition requires a dependable supply of suitable alternatives. If replacement devices are difficult to obtain or fail to meet quality requirements, healthcare facilities may encounter operational difficulties.
Manufacturers and suppliers will consequently have an important role in ensuring that equipment is accessible, reliable and appropriate for different levels of healthcare delivery.
Environmental protection and occupational safety
Mercury exposure can damage the nervous system, kidneys and other organs. The severity of its effects depends on the form of mercury, the amount involved, the route of exposure and its duration.
In healthcare settings, broken mercury-containing equipment can create a risk when the metal is not collected and managed properly. Improper disposal may also contaminate soil and water, allowing mercury to enter ecosystems and food chains.
The risks extend beyond hospitals. Workers involved in collecting, transporting and processing discarded medical equipment may also be exposed if protective procedures are inadequate.
The national strategy therefore places emphasis on safe collection, temporary storage, transportation and disposal rather than treating equipment replacement as the sole objective.
Training is essential to ensure that hospital staff understand how to identify mercury-containing devices and follow the appropriate procedures when such equipment is damaged or removed from service.
The government must also ensure that waste-management arrangements are available to facilities before large-scale replacement begins. Without adequate disposal capacity, obsolete devices could remain in storage or be discarded improperly.
Dr Geetha Anandan, Additional Director General of Health Services at the Union Health Ministry, said the effort involved not only replacing mercury-containing equipment but also responsibly managing existing mercury waste to protect the environment and future generations.
Amit Raj, Director at the Environment Ministry, said India remained committed to meeting its obligations under the Minamata Convention and ensuring a safe, systematic and sustainable transition away from mercury-based medical measuring devices. <Cite refs={[“turn234262view2”]}/>
Implementation will determine the success of the programme
India’s 2030 target represents a significant undertaking because mercury-containing devices have been used across different types of medical facilities for decades.
The scale of implementation will depend on the completeness of state inventories, the availability of funding, procurement efficiency and the establishment of appropriate waste-management systems.
Regular monitoring will be necessary to determine whether hospitals have replaced the relevant equipment and whether discarded devices are being handled safely. Clear responsibilities for health departments, environmental authorities, hospital administrators and waste-management agencies can help prevent gaps in implementation.
Healthcare workers will also require practical guidance on operating alternative devices, maintaining measurement accuracy and reporting equipment failures.
For smaller hospitals and facilities in remote areas, access to replacement equipment and authorised disposal services may require additional planning. Coordinated procurement and technical assistance could help address these challenges.
The initiative also creates an opportunity to strengthen wider biomedical waste management practices. Better inventories, improved procurement records and safer handling procedures can help healthcare institutions manage other hazardous materials more effectively.
India’s progress towards mercury-free healthcare will ultimately depend on whether national policies translate into consistent practices at individual facilities. The replacement of hazardous devices, combined with reliable alternatives and safe waste disposal, can reduce occupational risks and environmental contamination.
As the 2030 deadline approaches, sustained cooperation between government departments, healthcare providers, manufacturers and international partners will be central to achieving the objective and ensuring that safer medical practices become routine across the country.