Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bogota (Agenzia Fides) - During the second working day of the Plenary Assembly of the Colombian Bishops' Conference, being held in Bogota (see Fides 04/07/2011), the Bishops have strongly confirmed the complaints of the nation's Attorney general, Alejandro Ordonez, according to which the health care system needs serious structural reform. "Health service in Colombia has hit rock bottom and needs to be renovated completely", said the Secretary general of the Colombian Episcopal Conference, His Exc. Mgr. Juan Vicente Cordoba, Auxiliary Bishop of Bucaramanga, recalling that health "is everyone’s right, which in the country is violated every day in the most infamous way". "You cannot do business with what is a right, you cannot play with people's lives", continued the spokesman of the Colombian bishops condemning corruption in the administration of public resources destined to the health of the most disadvantaged Colombians. "It is absurd that there are cures and medicines for the rich and others for the poor", said Mgr. Córdoba. The President of the Episcopal Conference, His Exc. Mgr. Ruben Salazar, Archbishop of Bogotá, has highlighted the plight of drivers driving in a state of drunkenness: "in Colombia there should be a stricter legislation with harsher punishments for these drivers, who not only put their lives at risk, but also the lives of innocent people". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 06/07/2011)
