Strategy for mercury elimination in public hospitals of Sonora State, Mexico: Implementation of two research projects for the achievement of a collaborative agreement

This dissertation, consisting of three manuscripts, describes research work on mercury elimination in public hospitals located in the State of Sonora, Mexico. This research studies the process to achieve and implement a collaborative agreement between the Ministry of Health of Sonora State and the Center of Higher Studies of Sonora State (CESUES).;The first manuscript presents general information on mercury, successful international cases (United States of America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin-America) on mercury elimination, the strategies implemented to obtain successful results and the current difficulties faced by developed and developing countries to eliminate the use of mercury in hospitals. Finally, the manuscript shows the collaborative agreement between the Ministry of Health of Sonora State and the Center of Higher Studies of Sonora State (CESUES), which was obtained from the revision of this information and the implementation of the two research projects showed in the second and third manuscripts.;The second manuscript discusses the project implemented in two public hospitals of Sonora State, Mexico in order to characterize the administrative system for sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) use. Similar to the second manuscript, by means of this characterization it was possible to identify the strengths and opportunity areas of the administrative system and also the needs, driving forces and possible stakeholders involved in the collaborative agreement. Based on this information the commitments of each participant were defined and included in the collaborative agreement.;The third manuscript discusses one of the research projects implemented in two public hospitals of Sonora State, Mexico in order to characterize the administrative systems for mercury thermometers. By means of this characterization it was possible to identify the strengths and opportunity areas of the administrative system and also the needs, driving forces and possible stakeholders involved in the collaborative agreement. Based on this information, the commitments of each participant were defined and included in the collaborative agreement.;The contributions of this dissertation are the first research projects implemented in public hospitals located in Sonora State, Mexico on the characterization of the administrative systems of mercury containing products with the intention of the achievement of mercury elimination by means of a collaborative agreement between the Ministry of Health and CESUES.