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Pope Leo says that universal health coverage is a ‘moral imperative’
March 19, 2026
» Continue to this story on Dicastery for Communication
CWN Editor's Note: Pope Leo XIV said that “health cannot be a luxury for the few” and that “universal health coverage is not merely a technical goal to be achieved; it is primarily a moral imperative for societies that wish to call themselves just.”
The Pontiff made his remarks in a March 18 address to participants in a conference organized by the Council of the European Bishops’ Conferences, the Italian Episcopal Conference, and the World Health Organization.
Pope Leo also called for concern the suffering of others, as taught by Christ in the parable of the Good Samaritan, and said that “urgent attention must also be given to people’s mental health, particularly that of young people, because invisible psychological wounds are no less severe than those that are visible.”
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