USG-UISG HEALTH COMMISSION

We are a joint commission of the two Unions; our aim is to offer reflection and practical collaboration on health issues and problems.

The Commission is composed of persons designated by Superiors General of congregations that are dedicated to health care as an expression of their charism.

Our Commission was born during the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic at the end of the last millennium. It has since dealt with other emerging issues such as: the need to guarantee health care for all, the crisis within Catholic health care services, and the transfer of leadership from religious to lay people.

We act as a think-tank which:

• Detects emerging health issues
• Promotes reflections for member congregations of both Unions
• Identifies ways for action which are then disseminated as proposed solutions

Our mission is to improve the quality of our ministerial service through an exchange of experiences and by networking across our member congregations and with other players in the health sector.

The following themes have been studied and explored over the years:

• Religious congregations and AIDS 2008
• The crisis within the healthcare services: the Samaritan’s donkey fell ill 2012
• Religious and lay people working together  in healthcare: Beyond the need 2015; Governance of health care services by religious and lay people 2016; Towards shared governance 2016
• The religious world and migrants’ health 2018
• Covid 2020
• The de-institutionalisation of care 2021
• Informed Consent and Advanced Declarations of Treatment: the challenges for religious life 2021