A Statement of Solidarity

As the Solidarity Bridge organization contemplates recent events at the national level, we reflect deeply on the meaning of the word “solidarity.” This value lies at the heart of our work, is reflected in our name, and has served as the core motivating principle of our mission for over 25 years. Rooted in Catholic social teaching, we seek a just, compassionate, and interdependent world, where the health needs of those most vulnerable are prioritized. Out of these values, we feel called to speak about the recent US cuts to foreign aid, international cooperation, medical research, and global healthcare funding, which threaten essential services while undermining efforts to prevent and respond to health crises, in the low-income regions in which we work and around the world. 

While Solidarity Bridge works only in Bolivia and Paraguay and operates independently from government funding, US policy changes will affect our work. Organizations like ours rely on global health bodies like the WHO and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), to stay informed on research-backed guidelines and best practices, medical advancements and their integration in diverse settings, and emergency responses that are particular to low-income regions. Without continued US alliances with these international bodies, access to critical resources will be even more limited, making it more challenging to improve healthcare in the regions where we work.

Global health is a shared responsibility, and policy changes can have far-reaching consequences. For example, many of our pacemaker patients suffer from Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease that is endemic in Bolivia and Paraguay. Cuts to these organizations could impact efforts to reduce the disease's prevalence and increase the need for surgical intervention. And in general, cuts to foreign aid will likely increase disease, malnutrition, and poverty in the region, further increasing the already-high demand for services like ours.

Now, more than ever, Solidarity Bridge remains steadfast in our commitment to our core value of solidarity. In the words of Cardinal Archbishop Blase J. Cupich, “We take up this work, serving people of any race, creed or color, because it is the Gospel. In a word, we serve those coming to us not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic, with eyes and ears open to what Jesus reminded us… ‘I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, sick and you cared for me’ (Matthew 25).” And we will continue to work towards a future where the power of compassion brings hope and healing to communities around the world.