Catholic Health Provider in Africa Responds to Vatican Call for Improved Water, Hygiene

In Africa, the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God have a number of health projects in various countries, including Malawi, Ghana, Kenya and Sierra Leone.

The Brothers who draw inspiration from the life, example, and teaching of their founder, St. John of God by fostering hospitality, are also present in Benin, serving people from neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Togo, Nigeria, and Niger.

On their website, the Brothers say, “With an emphasis on hospitality, St. John of God actively sought to welcome and serve those with disabilities he found were too often on the margins. To this day, exemplifying St. John of God, the Hospitaller Order maintains, deepens and perpetuates this hospitality through a wide range of health and social service activities around the world.”

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development’s WASH project, which was first announced in August 2020, was developed in collaboration with Religious Orders, Bishops’ Conferences, Caritas Internationalis, and Global Water 2020.

The Dicastery sent a letter to Catholic Bishops around the world, urging them to help ensure “adequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene in all Catholic health care facilities in order to safely treat patients, prevent further spread of COVID-19 and other diseases, and protect health care workers and chaplains.”

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The Bishops were also urged to lead their teams “to respond to a desperate need in some of the health care facilities serving in isolated or impoverished areas of some Dioceses”.

The letter, according to the March 21 statement, reiterated how the Catholic Church has been a committed pioneer of healthcare around the world, irrespective of religion or nationality.

The statement notes that a detailed assessment is currently being conducted in approximately 150 Catholic healthcare facilities (from small dispensaries to hospitals) in 22 countries.

“Cost estimates are also being conducted to understand what has to be done and how much it would cost to sustainably improve WASH conditions and meet proper standards through infrastructure, equipment, maintenance and staff training,” the leadership of the Vatican Dicastery says in the March 21 statement published in multiple languages.

The Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis, Aloysius John, says, “These initiatives will help prevent the spread of new diseases and ensure decent care for patients in health care facilities.”

Mr. John adds, “All over the world, many local Caritas organizations run similar programs ensuring parishes, communities, health centers and schools have the means to protect the health of those they serve.”

Pope Francis has called for clean drinking water and sanitation for all, noting that clean water is something “too many of our brothers and sisters do not have access to.”

Speaking after the Angelus prayer on Sunday, March 21 ahead of the World Water Day marked each year on March 22, the Holy Father said, “Tomorrow is World Water Day, which invites us to reflect on the value of this wonderful and irreplaceable gift of God.”

He added, “For us believers ‘sister’ water is not a commodity: it is a universal symbol and a source of life and health…It is necessary to ensure drinking water and sanitation to all.”

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.