Pope Praises Fiocruz in Letter; Says Pandemic Exposed “Virus of Indifference”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In a letter sent to Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation) on Tuesday, November 3rd, Pope Francis praised the institution for its work, extolled healthcare professionals who work on the front line against Covid-19, and said the pandemic “has not excluded anyone in its wake of suffering.”

“At this moment when Brazil, along with the rest of the world, faces the Covid-19 pandemic, this institution’s mission and that of each healthcare professional are even more significant,” he said.

“I think that Fiocruz’s effort, as well as that of so many other research centers in Brazil and of every woman and man, researcher, doctor or nurse, in addition to being a demonstration of professional diligence, can – and should – be experienced as a tangible expression of love for others,” he continues.

The letter was sent in reaction to a request by the institution for the pontiff to share a message at the “Fratelli Tutti (All Brothers): the global social message of Pope Francis’s seminar, held on Tuesday, attended by theologian Leonardo Boff; the president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Luiz Davidovich; the emeritus researcher of Fiocruz Maria Cecilia Minayo; and the emeritus professor of the Paulo Marchiori Buss institution.

In the document, Pope Francis mentioned his encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti” (All Brothers, in Italian), which addresses fraternity and friendship, to reinforce his request for the construction of a “society marked by inclusion”.

“This pandemic has further emphasized the harmful impact of another type of virus that has plagued humanity for a long time: the virus of indifference, which is born out of selfishness and generates social injustice,” he said.

Fiocruz is the institution that will produce the Oxford University vaccine in Brazil, if approved. On Monday, November 2nd, Nísia Trindade Lima, the foundation’s president, said that the first doses of the Covid-19 immunizer should be administered in Brazil by March 2021.

Source: Folhapress

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