“4.5 billion people, more than half the planet, lack full access to essential health services”. Speaking about health and food safety at the Sovereign Order of Malta International Hospitallers Conference, Sandra Gallina, European Commission Director-General of the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, highlighted the progress of medicine and research in Europe and the rest of the world, saying that “global life expectancy had increased from 67 years in 2000 to over 73 years in 2024”. Nevertheless, in a scenario that remains critical these daily wonders are also primarily “thanks to the expertise, the talent, the dedication of healthcare workers, their humanity. Where there is a doctor, there is a nurse, there is a paramedic, there is a pharmacist, a surgeon, a physical therapist or one of the many other healthcare professionals, there is hope. There is humanity”.
It was the tireless work of the Order of Malta’s 100,000 volunteers and 50,000 employees active worldwide that was discussed on the second day of the international conference, with a focus on natural disasters. Last autumn, as the DANA storm tore through the Valencian Community and Andalusia, the Order of Malta volunteers concentrated their efforts in distributing food and clothing in the most damaged areas, also starting a fund-raising campaign. In this regard, the Polish association illustrated the assistance given during the September 2024 flooding in the south of the country, thanks to volunteers from Germany, Hungary and Lithuania and and the unexpected support – in this difficult moment – from Ukraine. The US Western Association has also launched initiatives to support families affected by the devastating Los Angeles fires in January.
Major Albin Rentenberger, Head of Training for the Austrian National Defence Academy, gave an exhaustive analysis of the main conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Scenarios in which the Order of Malta is on the front line: in Ukraine with one of the major relief operations since World War II thanks to the associations and relief corps of numerous European countries; in Lebanon with the national association which has been active for 70 years in the field of healthcare, social inclusion and agriculture. Finally, the Holy Land is the heart of the Hospitallers mission, with the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem and the prospect of opening a basic healthcare centre in Gaza for the many needs of the suffering population.A focus on migrants, refugees and human trafficking concluded the meeting.
The XXXII International Conference of Hospitallers will be held in Cologne.
Photo-Credit: Sovereign Order of Malta – Thomas Meyer/APACE Media
