Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Geneva (Fides Service) - “Unfortunately, illnesses, especially infectious ones, are ever more virulent in the poorest countries that, precisely because they are poor, do not have the resources to obtain medicine that, thanks to modern technology, can easily offer some cures. In fact, each year infectious diseases are responsible for the death of 17 million persons, of whom 90 percent live in developing countries.” This was said by Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragá President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of the Sick and health care workers who led the Holy See delegation to the 58th assembly of the World Health Organisation WHO in Geneva 16 to 25 May.
95% of AIDS patients cannot afford anti-retroviral treatment- the Cardinal said in his address -. He noted that in many poor countries the medicines to cure certain “illnesses of the poor” TB, paludism, smallpox, dengue, la leishmaniosis, certain forms of meningitis, sleeping sickness, et cannot even be found. Of 1,223 new medicines introduced in di 22 years, 1975 to 1997, only 13 were for infectious tropical diseases. Figures with regard to infantile health are very concerning: of the 211 million new human beings conceived, 46 million were killed in induced abortions, 32 million died before or at birth and only 133 million reached birth and lived.
Cardinal Lozano, in concluding remarks, said that, "as the Holy See is aware of these and similar problems, John Paul II established the 'Good Samaritan' Foundation' to help the most needy sick people in the world. The new Pope, Benedict XVI, with joy, has ratified this foundation. The initial objective of this foundation has been concretised by buying medicines for the most needy, and we have already been able to bring aid to the sick of 11 African countries, one in Asia and another in Latin America”. It should also be remembered that 26.7% of all the world’s centres for people with AIDS are run by the Catholic Church. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 27/5/2005 - Righe 22; Parole 332)
