Innovative project earns honorable mention for Castelo dos Sonhos General Public Hospital at the Friend of the Environment Award
In the heart of the Amazon, a public hospital has shown that it is possible to unite health, the environment, and innovation. The award is promoted by the Healthy Hospitals Project.
Castelo dos Sonhos General Public Hospital (HPGCS) received an honorable mention at the 18th edition of the Friend of the Environment Award (Pama), promoted by the Healthy Hospitals Project. The initiative recognizes the best sustainable practices of institutions that are part of the Unified Health System (SUS) throughout Brazil.
The award ceremony took place on October 28 at the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital in São Paulo. Among 233 projects submitted from 18 Brazilian states, the work developed by the Pará hospital stood out for its creativity, social and environmental impact, and the collective engagement of the team.
Sustainability that germinates in the Amazon
The project "Multifunctional Green Space: seeds of hospital sustainability germinating in the Amazon" was born from the hospital's Sustainability Committee — a multidisciplinary group that brings together collaborators from the areas of Hygiene, Nutrition, Engineering, and Management. André Luiz Sampaio, Érica Daiana Tomás, Gisele Félix, Marlene Mendonça, Raphaella Oliveira, and Thaynar Veras are the authors of the initiative.
The proposal transformed a previously underutilized external area of 44 m² into a space for socializing, resting, and environmental education, combining an organic garden, waste composting, and therapeutic spaces aimed at the well-being of patients, companions, and professionals.
"This project was born from a human perspective on the hospital space. We wanted the hospital to also be a place of connection with nature, of breathing, of exchange. The honorable mention shows that sustainability is not just a goal, but a daily practice that is part of our management model," highlighted Diego Carlis, the hospital's general director.
The space was built with recycled and repurposed materials, such as leftover wood used to build pergolas and benches, tires converted into vertical gardens, and plastic boxes transformed into compost bins. In addition to reducing costs, the initiative strengthened the circular economy and directly involved more than 50 collaborators in community efforts and practical workshops.
A project by everyone and for everyone - The corporate project coordinator of the Mais Saúde Social Institute, Raphaella Oliveira, explains that the project was conceived to integrate sustainability into the care routine.
"When we think about sustainability in the hospital context, we are not just talking about waste management, but also about holistic health. The Multifunctional Green Space promotes quality of life, reduces occupational stress, and inspires more conscious behaviors inside and outside the hospital," said Raphaella.
For Érica Daiana Tomás, contract supervisor and one of the authors of the initiative, the project's differential lies precisely in the union of different areas around the same purpose.
"Participating in the construction of this space was transformative. It showed that when each sector takes on its responsibility, the result goes far beyond what was expected. Sustainability needs to be present in every administrative decision, in every contract, in every detail of management — and this project made us see that in practice," emphasized Érica.
Physiotherapist Marlei dos Santos said that the therapeutic walk was already part of the hospital's practices, but it was previously conducted in an improvised space. "With the pergola, we now have a more comfortable environment prepared for this type of activity outside the bed," he stated.
He added the benefits. "Patients feel better physically and emotionally, self-esteem improves, and the bond between them and the multiprofessional team strengthens. Moreover, being in contact with the outside environment humanizes treatment, alleviates the stress of hospitalization, and offers moments of hope while they await discharge."
The project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has become a replicable model for other health units in the Legal Amazon.
In the first three months of implementation, the hospital composted 3.5 tons of organic waste, significantly reduced the volume of disposal, and cultivated 48 food and medicinal species, including vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees.
Amazonian challenges and learnings - According to Thaynar Veras, administrative manager of the hospital and also one of the authors of the project, the biggest challenge was adapting the schedule to the climatic and logistical conditions of the region.
"Doing sustainability in the Amazon requires creativity. Often, what arrives here needs to be reinvented. But we discovered that simple solutions — made with the team's own hands — are the most effective and lasting," reported Thaynar.
The experience strengthened the sense of belonging among collaborators, created partnerships with the local community, and consolidated a new institutional culture focused on socio-environmental responsibility.
Next steps - After national recognition, HPGCS plans to expand the Multifunctional Green Space, with new cultivation areas, the implementation of a sustainable irrigation system, and the creation of a garden with native Amazonian species. A fixed calendar of environmental education workshops is also being developed, which will involve schools and community leaders from Castelo dos Sonhos.
"The award is a collective achievement, but the true result lies in the daily impact — in the hands that plant, in the people who rest in the shade of a tree that didn't even exist here before. This is the sustainability we want to see flourish in Brazilian public health," concluded Diego Carlis.
About the Friend of the Environment Award (Pama)
Created in 2008, Pama annually recognizes health institutions that develop innovative actions aimed at environmental management and the promotion of sustainable practices in SUS. In 2025, the award reinforced the commitment to a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient health system — and showed that even in the most remote places, transformation can flourish.
About the hospital - With 34 beds, both operational and non-operational, Castelo dos Sonhos General Public Hospital is a regional reference for low-complexity care. The unit offers consultations, exams, surgeries, and follow-ups in seven medical specialties: General Surgery, Orthopedics and Traumatology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Cardiology, and Internal Medicine.
Belonging to the Government of Pará, the hospital has been consolidating itself as a safe haven for the local population, always focusing on social inclusion and ethical, humanized, and qualified care.
Text: Edson Fonseca/ Ascom HPGCS
