2016 ISSUE
dental
amalgam YEARLY
NEWSLETTER w w w. c e j a d k e n y a . o r g
2 CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016
Introduction Centre for Environment Justice and Development (“CEJAD”) is a non-profit, NonGovernmental Organization advocating for environmental justice while promoting rural development in Kenya.
environmental health in specific, and wellbeing in general; c) Conducting and/ or participating in research that generate knowledge for influencing sound policies and actions In our areas of
In our mission to “Advocating and lobbying for promote the sound pro-sustainability policy and management of legal frameworks” chemicals and the sustainable use of emphasis we intend natural resources, we apply principles of to close if not narrow justice and try to do the gap between decision makers, that by; relevant stakeholders a) Advocating and and the public in lobbying for progeneral through sustainability policy ways to promote and legal frameworks interactive decisionmaking processes b) Educating hence giving a wider and advising the scope for meaningful public on available participation. technologies and practices that improve human and
CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016 3
Dear Reader, In April 2016, CEJAD in partnership with World Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry began campaign project to promote dental amalgam phase down and shift to alternatives in Kenya as part of the global initiative to reduce the anthropogenic releases of mercury in accordance with the Minamata Convention on Mercury, signed in 2013 as a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. Kenya is a signatory to Minamata Convention and when it ratifies, is expected to meet obligations set in the convention in annex A part II which calls for parties to “phase down the use of dental amalgam�. The convention lists measures to phase down amalgam use and instructs nations to undertake two or more of the measures. The aim of the project is to fast track dental amalgam phase down in Kenya and reduce environmental exposure to the harmful effects of mercury released from the dental practice sector through a collaborative effort of Civil Society Organizations (including the media), researchers, government agencies and the private sector. We are happy to share with activities we have carried out in Kenya regionally and internationally in the implementation of this global initiative. We look forward to working together with all stakeholders and Kenyan public in this exciting endeavor. Happy Reading! Griffins Ochieng, Programmes Co-coordinator and Executive Director, CEJAD.
4 CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016
CEJAD holds sensitization forum for local NGOs on dental amalgam phase down and Minamata Convention on Mercury
Nairobi, 4th February 2016:
The forum was held with main intentions of discussing strategies and action plans to facilitate promotion of dental amalgam phase down in Kenya. Another critical focus area was the deliberations on various roles of NGOs towards ensuring effective implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury on dental amalgam phase down and the East Africa Dental Amalgam Phase down project (EADAP) in Kenya.
CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016 5
“
Cejad is implementing awareness creation and sensitization programs, which have been through mass media, brochures, banners, workshops, posters and online forums like websites and social media. Available alternatives to amalgam include resin composite, components and glass ionomer cement.
“
6 CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016
Dental amalgam as a dental filling consists of a mixture of metals, consisting of liquid (elemental) mercury and a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin, and copper and that approximately 50% of dental amalgam is elemental mercury. World Health Organization (WHO) considers mercury as one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern and a neurotoxin of great potential to cause significant neurobehavioral effects. Dental Mercury Pollution Pathways include; Air (via human cremation, sewage sludge and waste incineration, and dental clinic emissions); Land (via landfills, human burials and Water (human waste disposal and dental clinic releases) etc.
CEJAD and World Alliance Hold Meeting with CSO organizations in Nairobi dental amalgam phase down Nairobi, 19th March 2016: CEJAD and World Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry, held a meeting with civil society organizations (CSOs) and Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) on dental amalgam phase down in Kenya on the 19th of March 2016 at Ngong Hills Hotel, Nairobi. The meeting was aimed at sensitizing CSOs in Kenya on the Minamata Convention on Mercury and its provisions on dental amalgam phase down and to develop action plan and strategies for CSOs to promote dental amalgam phase down and shift to alternatives in Kenya. The meeting was attended by President of the World Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry, Mr. Charles Brown, and leaders from NGOs in Kenya, namely Indigenous information Network (IIN), Support initiative for health, education and
development (SHEDI Kenya), Environmental Compliance Institute (ECI), Eco Ethics Kenya, Young Volunteers for the Environment (YVE) Kenya, Community Action for Nature Conservation (CANCO) and a journalist from Daily Nation Newspaper (Nation Media Group). The organizations agreed to form a CSOs coalition as an initiative and platform of promoting engagement and interaction of NGOs with stakeholders to initiate development of policy frameworks on dental amalgam phase down and shift to alternative mercury free restorations. CEJAD was nominated to steer the coalition as the focal point. For more information on how to join and work with us: Contact us on: info@cejadkenya.org
Participants at the meeting CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016 7
Petition to End Use of Mercury Presented to AG, Hon. Prof. Githu Muigai
8 CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016
Nairobi, March 18th 2016: Mr. Charles Brown, president of the World Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry and former US State Attorney General together with CEJAD senior staff paid a visit to the Attorney General of Kenya, Hon. Prof Githu Muigai. Mr. Charles pointed on the urgency for governments to stop mercury use worldwide considering its harmful effects especially on women and children and the general public health.
friendlier options such as resin composites, compomers, and glass ionomers which are also cheaper. He also noted that most CSOs in the world are working to see for modification of insurance and government programmes to reduce use of amalgam. http://www.statelaw.go.ke/ petition-to-end-use-ofmercury-presented-to-ag/
http://www.nation. co.ke/lifestyle/health/ Mr. Brown highlighted some of Dental-amalgam-athe harmful effects of mercury health-environmental-riskactivists/1954202-3241770especially in the field of medicine and dentistry calling format-xhtml-tn3qi2z/index. html for the use of safer and
Africa Day for Mercury Free Dentistry, October 2016 Nairobi, October 13th 2016
retreatment to be about half of the cost of amalgam without retreatment. That with the recent study in Tunisia and Cote d’Ivoire countries of Africa, 30%o of the dentist practitioners is already using dental amalgam alternatives. This insinuates that there is growing mercury free dentistry in Africa.
The third Africa Day for Mercury Free Dentistry was held on 13th October 2016. The Africa Day for Mercury Free Dentistry was launched in 2014 following the Abuja Declaration for Mercury-Free Dentistry for Africa endorsed in 2013 by 40 African NGOs. In Kenya, CEJAD commemorated this day by sharing a press release calling upon the government to ban mercury dentistry especially in milk teeth as a step towards dental amalgam phase down. In the press release, the organization clarified and emphasized on
the neurotoxicity of mercury even in unborn children referring to the Abuja Declaration of 2014. There was stress on the cost of using alternatives inclusive of
Dental amalgam use in Africa remains the least among other continents. This is especially so that in 2010 the sub-Saharan Africa region used only up to 6 tons of dental mercury.
CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016 9
WORLD ALLIANCE ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS CONFERENCE, 2016 San Francisco, November 19, 2016:
CEJAD joins other environmental leaders at the World Alliance for Mercury Free Dentistry environmental leaders’ conference, held in San Francisco, USA. The conference organized by the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry in association with the Asian Centre for
Environmental Health and African Centre for Environmental Health was held to share progress on efforts towards mercury-free dentistry at both regional and country levels. Coupled with that, it also intended to discuss and recommend on best future actions and needs towards goal for phase down of dental amalgam use as called in the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
10 CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016
FIRST STEP MADE TOWARDS INITIATION OF PILOT COUNTY FOR MERCURY FREE DENTISTRY IN KENYA
Mombasa, December 19, 2016: In collaboration with Eco-ethics Kenya (EEK) from Mombasa, CEJAD initiated a plan for ‘Mercury Free Dentistry Pilot County’ with an introductory and consultative meeting with officials from Mombasa County Government, in Mombasa. A meeting was held with officials of the department of Water, Environment and Natural Resources, led by Chief Officer, Mr. Francis Baya. The County officials agreed to work collaboratively with CEJAD through the county’s stakeholder’s forum initiated by the department.
Calendar of Events/Meetings Stakeholder’s Dialogue Forum on Promoting Dental Amalgam Phase Down and Implementation of Minamata Convention on Mercury in Kenya, 23rd February 2017, Nairobi World Oral Day, March 20, 2017 The first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP1), 24 to 29 September 2017, Geneva, Switzerland. CEJAD NEWSLETTER 2016 11
contact us 3rd Floor, Ngong Hills Hotel Business Centre, Opposite Bishop Magua Centre, Ngong Rd, Nairobi, Kenya
Mail Us info@cejadkenya.org cejadkenya@gmail.com
Give Us a Call You can give us a call between 9:00 – 5:30 from Monday To Friday. +254 020 3559598
www.cejadkenya.org