International Symposium

Solidarity and Health

The Generalate House of the Ministers of the sick

Piazza della Maddalena, 53 – Rome

Saturday 19 October 2013  17.30

The Challenges of Neglected Diseases

Within the framework of the celebrations for the fourth centenary of the death of St. Camillus de Lellis, the Order of the Ministers of the Sick (Camillians), together with the Montefortiam cultural association ‘Science-Health-Society’ and the Office for Pastoral Care in Health of the Vicariate of Rome, with the patronage of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers (for Health Pastoral Care) and the National Office for Education, Schools and Universities of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, has organised an international symposium on ‘The Challenges of Neglected Diseases’.

This symposium, the first of a series around the subject of solidarity and health, which will be held in the afternoon of 19 October 2013 at the generalate house of the Ministers of the Sick (Piazza della Maddalena, 53) at 15.30, wants to draw attention and throw light upon the complex scenario of ‘neglected diseases’, that is to say those diseases which, although they are forgotten about by the mass media and public opinion, still affect today a notable number of poor and vulnerable populations who usually live in some of the remotest areas of the world. Because of their faraway geographical location, people in countries with advanced economies believe that they do not run the risk of such diseases, which affect people who are outside their range of knowledge and experience. If, therefore, an individual and utilitarian motivation is absent, the only way that solutions will be found to these social/health-care problems lies is through the dimension of solidarity.

This symposium will witness the participation of medical doctors who are experts in epidemiology, people responsible for health-care policies – amongst others, the Minister for Health Beatrice Lorenzin has been invited – and heads of pharmaceutical companies, as well as experts in pastoral care in health to give a voice to people with ‘neglected diseases’, without falling into the particular realities of extraneous or neglected pathologies or calling for a paternalistic and humiliating presence, but, rather, in order to know how to grasp the opportunity of a socio/health-care ‘challenge’ which calls on the conscience of every man, and even more of Christians, who still today dare to share to the utmost, and in the first person, in the charitable neighbourliness of the Good Samaritan.

At the end of the symposium there will be a celebration of the Eucharist presided over by H.E. Msgr. Zygmunt Zimowski, the President of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, and after that a buffet with dishes typical of the cuisine of Verona.

The next day, Sunday 20 October, after the celebration of the Eucharist at 9.30 at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene presided over by the Most Reverend Fr. Augusto Chendi, M.I., the Under-Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, there will be a procession ‘in the footsteps of St. Camillus’ which will go from Piazza della Maddalena to St. Peter’s Square to take part in  the Angelus and receive the blessing of Pope Francis.