Pope Francis spoke on the danger of “health poverty” in an April 13 address to members of the Religious Association of Social and Health Institutes (ARIS).
The Pope explained that he was speaking about “the increasing tendency of hospitals to discharge patients after a short time, favoring the treatment of the more acute phases of the illness over that of chronic pathologies.” As a result, he said, people with limited means often lack adequate care for their health problems.
Given this situation—which is compounded by the attitudes of a “throwaway culture,” the Pope said: “Religious hospitals have above all the mission to care for those who are discarded by the health economy.”