[From Skoll] Public health is the core of medicine. It entails that we, as health care professionals, need to ensure public goods are delivered in a safe and sustainable way. Public procurement is a key entry point for promoting more sustainable production and consumption patterns, and a major contributor to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. That is why sustainable health procurement is a priority in the global health sector.

The public are exposed to serious environmental and health risks during the implementation of health programs. These risks range from improper health care waste management to exposure of health care professionals to persistent organic pollutants. They need to be addressed systematically at all levels.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as an important public procurer in the global health market, has a particular responsibility to follow the international conventions and principles. Therefore, for the first time, the organization monitors the compliance with international conventions of its own procurement through an innovative guidance tool: “Healthcare Procurement and Compliance with International Environmental Conventions on Chemicals." (Continue reading)