SCIENCE AND MEDICINE
VATICAN - President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care at the 62nd World Health Assembly: "We cannot permit these defenseless children, their parents, and other adults of the poorest communities of the world to become more and more vulnerable because of the global economic crisis."
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – In his first official speech at the 62nd World Health Assembly that recently ended in Geneva, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, President of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, offered several reflections and concerns of the Holy See on the state of human health care services in this time of the world economic crisis.
"The current economic crisis has revealed the specter of the cancellation or drastic reduction of foreign aid programs, above all in developing countries. This situation dramatically places their health care systems in risky situations, systems which are already collapsed because of the widespread occurrence of endemic illnesses, epidemics and viruses," Archbishop Zimowski said.
Noting the importance and responsibility of religious organizations and Church-run health care institutions, which offer treatment to people living below the poverty line, the President of the Pontifical Council recalled the principles of "equality, solidarity, social justice, and universal access to services," articulated in the Resolution on primary health care treatments, reviewed in the WHO Assembly.
Making reference to the "millions of children around the world who do not fully develop their potential because of the great differences and injustices existing in the health care field," Archbishop Zimowski added: "We cannot permit these defenseless children, their parents, and other adults of the poorest communities of the world to become more and more vulnerable because of the global economic crisis, extensively stoked by egotism and greed. As the Holy Father has pointed out, there should be a strong relationship of solidarity between wealthier and poor nations, in addition to within individual nations, although they may be wealthier. A common 'ethical code' is needed, with not merely conventional norms, but [norms] that are rooted in the natural law that the Creator has written on the hearts of every human being (cfr Rm 2:14-15)." (AP) (Agenzia Fides 4/6/2009)
