Workshop facilitator Rev. Msgr Robert J. Vitillo, general secretary of the International Catholic Migration Commission, thanked UNAIDS and PEPFAR, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, for supporting faith communities in health.
”We want to have a call for action,” Vitillo said at the workshop as speakers recalled days gone by when some international groups did not welcome faith-based groups into the discourse on health, HIV, and AIDS.
Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, WCC director of Public Witness and Diakonia, made welcoming remarks.
”The UNAIDS-PEPFAR Faith Initiative is one of the key global success stories of interfaith engagement platforms in health and the HIV response,” said Mtata.
The 12-14 March workshop is titled ”Strategic Engagement of the faith sector with migrants, refugees, and other displaced populations for increased access to Health and HIV Services.”
Vitillo referred to the involvement and engagement of faith-based organizations with migrants and refugees in different circumstances and worldwide.
”Engaging the faith sector increases access to both health and HIV services for migrants, refugees, and other displaced populations,” said Vitillo. ”It’s essential for several reasons. One is that faith communities and faith institutions have a trusted presence within communities.
”And also, we have our infrastructure for care that’s present, and it’s very important because in many communities, people first go to religious institutions to deal with many problems, social as well as health problems, economic problems, and social problems.”
Vitillo stressed that most faith communities serve all people, not just those from their own particular faith group. This brings essential force and strength to the world’s response to the situation of migrants and refugees.
He referred to the COVID-19 pandemic, which slowed down progress in response to other health crises.
”That interrupted much of the progress that we made in promoting health and promoting access to health, that we’ve committed to making huge progress by 2030, so we have much catching up to do because of the COVID challenge,” said Vitillo.
”And also, we have serious challenges of other illnesses, chronic non-communicable diseases, which have a heavy impact on migrant and refugee populations, antibacterial resistance, mental health challenges, which maybe we’re more sensitive to than we were before the COVID pandemic.”
Not enough mention of non-governmental and civil society groups in the health sphere is made, he noted.
Mtata said that Christianity and other faiths affirm the sacredness of all human beings and the sanctity of creation.
”The values of love, justice, and peace compel faith communities to respond to the needs of the marginalized and excluded,” said Mtata.
