On April 22–23, 2026, the international meeting “Committed to WASH in Healthcare Facilities: A Gathering of Faith-based Organizations and Allies to Accelerate Progress” will take place in Rome, at the Jesuit Curia, just a short walk from St. Peter’s Square.
The event brings together faith-based organizations and partners from around the world committed to improving access to essential services such as water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in healthcare facilities; a need also highlighted by the United Nations.
The meeting is promoted by Caritas Internationalis, Catholic Relief Services, Doctors with Africa CUAMM, the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, Global Ministries/United Methodist Committee on Relief, the U.S. Catholic Health Association, the Anglican Communion Health and Community Network, the African Christian Health Associations Platform (ACHAP), and the Christian network Accord Network. It is held under the patronage of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
In recent years, the Dicastery, together with various partners, has piloted a survey to assess WASH conditions in a sample of Catholic healthcare centers. Following this initiative, efforts have been made to raise awareness of WASH challenges and improve conditions through technical assistance, donations, training, and the sharing of resources and experiences.
The event will be held in English and streamed live, with simultaneous interpretation into Italian, French, and Spanish. Streaming link available here.
The main objective is to secure concrete commitments, both financial and operational, to strengthen WASH services in healthcare facilities managed by faith-based organizations. At the same time, the event aims to accelerate new initiatives, enhance collaboration with secular organizations, and share results, lessons learned, and future directions on the topic.
Special attention is given to the crucial role of women’s religious congregations in providing healthcare globally, as well as to the effectiveness of faith-based health networks in promoting health and human dignity in a spirit of solidarity and in harmony with Gospel values.
On the morning of April 22, Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, will speak during a panel moderated by Tebaldo Vinciguerra, an Official of the Dicastery. In the afternoon, Elaine da Silva will contribute to a panel dedicated to the commitment of women religious.
The meeting is preceded, on April 21, by a preparatory session at the Dicastery, focused on reviewing the state of WASH in Catholic healthcare facilities, with participation also from Caritas staff.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen leadership and ensure the sustainability of actions in this field, with the aim of building more dignified, safe, and equitable healthcare systems worldwide.