Paraguayan Episcopal Conference calls for dialogue amid healthcare crisis

The Paraguayan Episcopal Conference (CEP) has called for dialogue regarding the country's healthcare crisis, emphasizing that health is a common good and a fundamental right rather than a privilege. The Church warned that the most vulnerable sectors of society are suffering the most from current conditions.

The CEP identified three essential pillars for the debate: human dignity, which includes the right to health and decent work; the budget, as the political instrument used to realize these rights; and the human factor, comprising the medical and technical staff.

The Church acknowledged several legitimate grievances from healthcare workers, including salaries that have remained frozen for over a decade, a lack of medical supplies, and difficult working conditions. The CEP stated that a dignified wage is a minimum requirement for professionals to serve the state without personal financial loss. Additionally, the Church called for fiscal consistency, suggesting that those making budgetary decisions should apply the same standards of austerity and transparency to themselves as they do to other sectors.