The following is the message sent by the Holy Father to the participants in the 32nd International Conference on the theme: “Addressing Global Health Inequalities”, organised by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in collaboration with the International Committee of the Catholic Healthcare Institutions:
Message of the Holy Father
To My Venerable Brother
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson
Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting
Integral Human Development
I offer a cordial welcome to the participants in the Thirty-second International Conference on the theme Addressing Global Health Inequalities. I express my gratitude to all those who have worked to organize this event, in particular, to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the International Confederation of Catholic Health Care Institutions.
Last year’s Conference took note of encouraging data on the average life expectancy and on the global fight against pathologies, while at the same time pointing out the widening gap between the richer and poorer countries with regard to access to medical products and health-care treatment. Consequently, it was decided to address the specific issue of inequalities and the social, economic, environmental and cultural factors underlying them. The Church cannot remain indifferent to this issue. Conscious of her mission at the service of human beings created in the image of God, she is bound to promote their dignity and fundamental rights.
To this end, the New Charter for Health Care Workers states that “the fundamental right to the preservation of health pertains to the value of justice, whereby there are no distinctions between peoples and ethnic groups, taking into account their objective living situations and stages of development, in pursuing the common good, which is at the same time the good of all and of each individual” (No. 141). The Church proposed that the right to health care and the right to justice ought to be reconciled by ensuring a fair distribution of healthcare facilities and financial resources, in accordance with the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. As the Charter notes, “those responsible for healthcare activities must also allow themselves to be uniquely and forcefully challenged by the awareness that ‘while the poor of the world continue knocking on the doors of the rich, the world of affluence runs the risk of no longer hearing those knocks, on account of a conscience that can no longer distinguish what is human’” (No. 91; Caritas in Veritate, 75).
I am pleased to learn that the Conference has drafted a project aimed at concretely addressing these challenges, namely, the establishment of an operational platform of sharing and cooperation between Catholic health care institutions in different geographical and social settings. I willingly encourage those engaged in this project to persevere in this endeavour, with God’s help. Healthcare workers and their professional associations in particular are called to this task, since they are committed to raising awareness among institutions, welfare agencies and the healthcare industry as a whole, for the sake of ensuring that every individual actually benefits from the right to health care. Clearly, this depends not only on healthcare services, but also on complex economic, social, cultural and decision-making factors. In effect, “the need to resolve the structural causes of poverty cannot be delayed, not only for the pragmatic reason of its urgency for the good of society, but because society needs to be cured of a sickness which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new crises. Welfare projects, which meet certain urgent needs, should be considered merely temporary responses. As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems. Inequality is the root of social ills.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 202).
I would like to focus on one aspect that is fundamental, especially for those who serve the Lord by caring for the health of their brothers and sisters. While a well-structured organization is essential for providing necessary services and the best possible attention to human needs, healthcare workers should also be attuned to the importance of listening, accompanying and supporting the persons for whom they care.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus shows us the practical approach required in caring for our suffering neighbour. First, the Samaritan “sees”. He notices and “is moved with compassion” at the sight of a person left stripped and wounded along the way. This compassion is much more than mere pity or sorrow; it shows a readiness to become personally involved in the other’s situation. Even if we can never equal God’s own compassion, which fills and renews the heart by its presence, nonetheless we can imitate that compassion by “drawing near”, “binding wounds”, “lifting up” and “caring for” our neighbour (cf. Lk 10:33-34).
A healthcare organization that is efficient and capable of addressing inequalities cannot forget that its raison d’être, which is compassion: the compassion of doctors, nurses, support staff, volunteers and all those who are thus able to minimize the pain associated with loneliness and anxiety.
Compassion is also a privileged way to promote justice, since empathizing with the others allows us not only to understand their struggles, difficulties and fears, but also to discover, in the frailness of every human being, his or her unique worth and dignity. Indeed, human dignity is the basis of justice, while the recognition of every person’s inestimable worth is the force that impels us to work, with enthusiasm and self-sacrifice, to overcome all disparities.
Finally, I would like to address the representatives of the several pharmaceutical companies who have been invited to Rome to address the issue of access to antiretroviral therapies by paediatric patients. I would like to offer for your consideration a passage of the New Charter for Healthcare Workers. It states: “Although it cannot be denied that the scientific knowledge and research of pharmaceutical companies have their own laws by which they must abide – for example, the protection of intellectual property and a fair profit to support innovation – ways must be found to combine these adequately with the right of access to basic or necessary treatments, or both, especially in underdeveloped countries, and above all in the cases of so-called rare and neglected diseases, which are accompanied by the notion of orphan drugs. Health care strategies aimed at pursuing justice and the common good must be economically and ethically sustainable. Indeed, while they must safeguard the sustainability both of research and of health care systems, at the same time they ought to make available essential drugs in adequate quantities, in usable forms of guaranteed quality, along with correct information, and at costs that are affordable by individuals and communities” (No. 92).
I thank all of you for the generous commitment with which you exercise your valued mission.I give you my Apostolic Blessing, and I ask you to continue to remember me in your prayers.
From the Vatican, 18 November 2017
FRANCIS
……………………….
Pubblichiamo di seguito il Messaggio che il Santo Padre Francesco ha inviato ai partecipanti alla XXXII Conferenza Internazionale sul tema “Affrontare le disparità globali in materia di salute”, organizzata dal Dicastero per il Servizio dello Sviluppo Umano Integrale in collaborazione con il Comitato Internazionale delle Istituzioni Sanitarie Cattoliche:
Messaggio del Santo Padre
Al Venerato Fratello
Cardinale Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson
Prefetto del Dicastero per il Servizio
dello Sviluppo Umano Integrale
Desidero far giungere il mio cordiale saluto ai partecipanti alla XXXII Conferenza internazionale sul tema Affrontare le disparità globali in materia di salute. Ringrazio di cuore quanti hanno collaborato per l’evento, in particolare il Dicastero per il Servizio dello Sviluppo Umano Integrale e la Confederazione Internazionale delle Istituzioni Sanitarie Cattoliche.
Nella Conferenza dello scorso anno, a fronte di alcuni dati positivi riguardanti l’aspettativa di vita media e la lotta alle malattie a livello globale, era risultato evidente il grande divario tra Paesi ricchi e Paesi poveri nell’accesso alle cure e ai trattamenti sanitari. Si decise così di affrontare concretamente il tema delle disparità e dei fattori sociali, economici, ambientali e culturali che le alimentano. La Chiesa non può non interessarsene, nella consapevolezza che la sua missione, orientata al servizio dell’essere umano creato a immagine di Dio, è tenuta a farsi carico anche della cura della sua dignità e dei suoi diritti inalienabili.
Nella Nuova Carta degli Operatori Sanitari è scritto, al riguardo, che «il diritto fondamentale alla tutela della salute attiene al valore della giustizia, secondo il quale non ci sono distinzioni di popoli e nazioni, tenuto conto delle oggettive situazioni di vita e di sviluppo dei medesimi, nel perseguimento del bene comune, che è contemporaneamente bene di tutti e di ciascuno» (n. 141). La Chiesa suggerisce che l’armonizzazione del diritto alla tutela della salute e del diritto alla giustizia venga assicurata da un’equa distribuzione di strutture sanitarie e di risorse finanziarie, secondo i principi di solidarietà e di sussidiarietà. Come la Carta ricorda, «anche i responsabili delle attività sanitarie devono lasciarsi provocare in modo forte e singolare, consapevoli che “mentre i poveri del mondo bussano ancora alle porte dell’opulenza, il mondo ricco rischia di non sentire più quei colpi alla sua porta, per una coscienza oramai incapace di riconoscere l’umano”» (n. 91; Benedetto XVI, Lett. enc. Caritas in veritate, 75).
Apprendo con soddisfazione che la Conferenza ha elaborato un progetto per contribuire ad affrontare concretamente queste sfide: l’istituzione di una piattaforma operativa di condivisione e collaborazione tra le istituzioni sanitarie cattoliche presenti nei diversi contesti geografici e sociali. Volentieri incoraggio gli attori di tale progetto a perseverare nell’impegno, con l’aiuto di Dio. A ciò sono chiamati anzitutto gli operatori sanitari e le loro associazioni professionali, tenuti a farsi promotori di una sempre maggiore sensibilizzazione presso le istituzioni, gli enti assistenziali e l’industria sanitaria, affinché tutti possano realmente beneficiare del diritto alla tutela della salute. Certamente, esso non dipende solo dall’assistenza sanitaria, ma anche da complessi fattori economici, sociali, culturali e decisionali. Perciò «la necessità di risolvere le cause strutturali della povertà non può attendere, non solo per una esigenza pragmatica di ottenere risultati e di ordinare la società, ma per guarirla da una malattia che la rende fragile e indegna e che potrà solo portarla a nuove crisi. I piani assistenziali, che fanno fronte ad alcune urgenze, si dovrebbero considerare solo come risposte provvisorie. Finché non si risolveranno radicalmente i problemi dei poveri, rinunciando all’autonomia assoluta dei mercati e della speculazione finanziaria e aggredendo le cause strutturali della inequità, non si risolveranno i problemi del mondo e in definitiva nessun problema. L’inequità è la radice dei mali sociali» (Esort. ap. Evangelii gaudium, 202).
Vorrei anche soffermarmi su un aspetto imprescindibile, soprattutto per chi serve il Signore dedicandosi alla salute dei fratelli. Se l’aspetto organizzativo è fondamentale per prestare le cure dovute e offrire la migliore attenzione all’essere umano, è anche necessario che non vengano mai a mancare, negli operatori sanitari, le dimensioni dell’ascolto, dell’accompagnamento e del sostegno alla persona. Gesù, nella parabola del Buon Samaritano, ci offre gli atteggiamenti attraverso cui concretizzare la cura nei riguardi del nostro prossimo segnato dalla sofferenza. Il Samaritano anzitutto “vede”, si accorge e “ha compassione” per l’uomo spogliato e ferito. Non è una compassione sinonimo solo di pena o dispiacere, è qualcosa di più: indica la predisposizione a entrare nel problema, a mettersi nella situazione dell’altro. Anche se l’uomo non può uguagliare la compassione di Dio, che entra nel cuore dell’uomo e abitandolo lo rigenera, tuttavia può imitarla “facendosi vicino”, “fasciando le ferite”, “facendosene carico”, “prendendosi cura” (cfr Lc 10,33-34). Un’organizzazione sanitaria efficiente e in grado di affrontare le disparità non può dimenticare la sua sorgente primaria: la compassione, del medico, dell’infermiere, dell’operatore, del volontario, di tutti coloro che per questa via possono sottrarre il dolore alla solitudine e all’angoscia.
La compassione è una via privilegiata anche per edificare la giustizia, perché, mettendoci nella situazione dell’altro, non solo ci permette di incontrarne le fatiche, le difficoltà e le paure, ma pure di scoprirne, all’interno della fragilità che connota ogni essere umano, la preziosità e il valore unico, in una parola: la dignità. Perché la dignità umana è il fondamento della giustizia, mentre la scoperta dell’inestimabile valore di ogni uomo è la forza che ci spinge a superare, con entusiasmo e abnegazione, le disparità.
Desidero infine rivolgermi ai rappresentanti di alcune ditte farmaceutiche che sono stati convocati qui a Roma per affrontare il problema dell’accesso alle terapie antiretrovirali in età pediatrica. Vi è un passaggio della Nuova Carta per gli Operatori Sanitari che vorrei affidarvi: «Se è innegabile che la conoscenza scientifica e la ricerca delle imprese del farmaco abbiano leggi proprie alle quali attenersi, come, ad esempio, la tutela della proprietà intellettuale e un equo profitto quale supporto all’innovazione, queste devono trovare adeguata composizione con il diritto all’accesso alle terapie essenziali e\o necessarie soprattutto dei Paesi meno sviluppati, e ciò soprattutto nel caso delle cosiddette “malattie rare” e “neglette”, alle quali si accompagna il concetto di “farmaci orfani”. Le strategie sanitarie, volte al perseguimento della giustizia e del bene comune, devono essere economicamente ed eticamente sostenibili. Infatti, mentre devono salvaguardare la sostenibilità sia della ricerca sia dei sistemi sanitari, dovrebbero al contempo rendere disponibili farmaci essenziali in quantità adeguate, in forme farmaceutiche fruibili e di qualità garantita, accompagnati da un’informazione corretta e a costi accessibili ai singoli e alle comunità» (n. 92).
Vi ringrazio per il generoso impegno con cui esercitate la vostra preziosa missione. Vi do la benedizione apostolica e vi chiedo di ricordarvi di me nella preghiera.
Dal Vaticano, 18 novembre 2017
FRANCESCO
[01731-IT.01] [Testo originale: Italiano]
Traduzione in lingua inglese
To My Venerable Brother
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson
Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting
Integral Human Development
I offer a cordial welcome to the participants in the Thirty-second International Conference on the theme Addressing Global Health Inequalities. I express my gratitude to all those who have worked to organize this event, in particular, to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the International Confederation of Catholic Health Care Institutions.
Last year’s Conference took note of encouraging data on the average life expectancy and on the global fight against pathologies, while at the same time pointing out the widening gap between the richer and poorer countries with regard to access to medical products and health-care treatment. Consequently, it was decided to address the specific issue of inequalities and the social, economic, environmental and cultural factors underlying them. The Church cannot remain indifferent to this issue. Conscious of her mission at the service of human beings created in the image of God, she is bound to promote their dignity and fundamental rights.
To this end, the New Charter for Health Care Workers states that “the fundamental right to the preservation of health pertains to the value of justice, whereby there are no distinctions between peoples and ethnic groups, taking into account their objective living situations and stages of development, in pursuing the common good, which is at the same time the good of all and of each individual” (No. 141). The Church proposed that the right to health care and the right to justice ought to be reconciled by ensuring a fair distribution of healthcare facilities and financial resources, in accordance with the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. As the Charter notes, “those responsible for healthcare activities must also allow themselves to be uniquely and forcefully challenged by the awareness that ‘while the poor of the world continue knocking on the doors of the rich, the world of affluence runs the risk of no longer hearing those knocks, on account of a conscience that can no longer distinguish what is human’” (No. 91; Caritas in Veritate, 75).
I am pleased to learn that the Conference has drafted a project aimed at concretely addressing these challenges, namely, the establishment of an operational platform of sharing and cooperation between Catholic health care institutions in different geographical and social settings. I willingly encourage those engaged in this project to persevere in this endeavour, with God’s help. Healthcare workers and their professional associations in particular are called to this task, since they are committed to raising awareness among institutions, welfare agencies and the healthcare industry as a whole, for the sake of ensuring that every individual actually benefits from the right to health care. Clearly, this depends not only on healthcare services, but also on complex economic, social, cultural and decision-making factors. In effect, “the need to resolve the structural causes of poverty cannot be delayed, not only for the pragmatic reason of its urgency for the good of society, but because society needs to be cured of a sickness which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new crises. Welfare projects, which meet certain urgent needs, should be considered merely temporary responses. As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems. Inequality is the root of social ills.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 202).
I would like to focus on one aspect that is fundamental, especially for those who serve the Lord by caring for the health of their brothers and sisters. While a well-structured organization is essential for providing necessary services and the best possible attention to human needs, healthcare workers should also be attuned to the importance of listening, accompanying and supporting the persons for whom they care.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus shows us the practical approach required in caring for our suffering neighbour. First, the Samaritan “sees”. He notices and “is moved with compassion” at the sight of a person left stripped and wounded along the way. This compassion is much more than mere pity or sorrow; it shows a readiness to become personally involved in the other’s situation. Even if we can never equal God’s own compassion, which fills and renews the heart by its presence, nonetheless we can imitate that compassion by “drawing near”, “binding wounds”, “lifting up” and “caring for” our neighbour (cf. Lk 10:33-34).
A healthcare organization that is efficient and capable of addressing inequalities cannot forget that its raison d’être, which is compassion: the compassion of doctors, nurses, support staff, volunteers and all those who are thus able to minimize the pain associated with loneliness and anxiety.
Compassion is also a privileged way to promote justice, since empathizing with the others allows us not only to understand their struggles, difficulties and fears, but also to discover, in the frailness of every human being, his or her unique worth and dignity. Indeed, human dignity is the basis of justice, while the recognition of every person’s inestimable worth is the force that impels us to work, with enthusiasm and self-sacrifice, to overcome all disparities.
Finally, I would like to address the representatives of the several pharmaceutical companies who have been invited to Rome to address the issue of access to antiretroviral therapies by paediatric patients. I would like to offer for your consideration a passage of the New Charter for Healthcare Workers. It states: “Although it cannot be denied that the scientific knowledge and research of pharmaceutical companies have their own laws by which they must abide – for example, the protection of intellectual property and a fair profit to support innovation – ways must be found to combine these adequately with the right of access to basic or necessary treatments, or both, especially in underdeveloped countries, and above all in the cases of so-called rare and neglected diseases, which are accompanied by the notion of orphan drugs. Health care strategies aimed at pursuing justice and the common good must be economically and ethically sustainable. Indeed, while they must safeguard the sustainability both of research and of health care systems, at the same time they ought to make available essential drugs in adequate quantities, in usable forms of guaranteed quality, along with correct information, and at costs that are affordable by individuals and communities” (No. 92).
I thank all of you for the generous commitment with which you exercise your valued mission.I give you my Apostolic Blessing, and I ask you to continue to remember me in your prayers.
From the Vatican, 18 November 2017
FRANCIS
