Message by the President of the AFCMA for the 30th World Day of the Sick, February 11, 2022
Thirty years ago, St. John Paul II instituted the World Day of the Sick (WDS) on February 11, the day of the anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes, to raise awareness of the need for Catholic health institutions, civil society and the people of God to be increasingly attentive to the sick and to those who care for them. On the occasion of the 30th WDS, Pope Francis admonished us healthcare workers to remember that our service alongside the sick, carried out with love and competence, transcends the bounds of our profession and becomes a mission, and to be mindful of the great dignity of our profession, as well as the responsibility that it entails.
On this WDS, I think of those who are suffering today because of the global pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). I also think of the many people around the world who are sick and untreated because they live in poverty and hunger, because of lack of safe water and environment, and because of gender and other social discrimination. In particular, we have to ask ourselves that the health care professionals as well as the general civil society and policy leaders, are showing dedication and generosity with our professional skills, sacrificial spirit, and the sense of responsibility to the most marginalized. We have to also ask now whether we can be reflecting the image of Christ and the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.33-37) through our acts of kindness and friendliness.
It has been observed that the diagnosis of COVID-19 and vaccines are not distributed fairly and equitably. The percentage of major industrialized countries that have completed the required number of vaccinations is over 80%, and about 50% worldwide. However, many African countries still have single digit vaccination rates in the 1% range (Ethiopia, Tanzania, etc.) and 2% range (Nigeria, Sudan, etc.). We need to devise ways to deliver coronavirus vaccines to the "vaccine-weak" people of the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the situation in which the most vulnerable including the elderly are left behind and least able to protect themselves, suffering from inadequate medical systems and lack of care. We need to remember well that Jesus invites the sick, the oppressed and the poor on the WDS, as Pope Francis says, and to put into visible practice the rule of love that Jesus left for his disciples. Let us answer the invitation to care for the weak and suffering in our society and to relate to the sick in a humane way, striving to ensure that no one is left behind.
President,
Asian Federation of Catholic Medical Association
Shigeyuki Kano
