Mexico City, February 2, 20223.- With the aim of generating a dialogue between experts from different organizations on the importance of supporting the most disadvantaged communities to eradicate inequality in Mexico, the Universidad Panamericana II Social Responsibility Forum was held, organized by the Pan American School of Health Sciences and the Pan American Health System. Pan American Health System (SIPASA).
II Social Responsibility Forum
The event was attended by Dr. Fernanda Llergo Bay, Rector General of Universidad Panamericana and IPADE; Dr. Santiago García Álvarez, Rector of Campus Mexico; Dr. Gregorio Tomás Obrador Vera, Director of the School of Health Sciences; and Ms. Yazmín Mendoza Reyes, Director of Social Commitment.
Also in attendance were Dr. Rodolfo de la Torre, director specializing in Social Development with Equity at the Espinosa Yglesias Center for Studies, and representatives of the following clinics: Fundación Mazahua, Fundación Medicina y Asistencia Social, Tierra de Sueños, Centro Escolar Acuautla, Centro Escolar Meyalli, and Comunidad MAPFRE-UP.
A space for reflection
"This afternoon we have the opportunity to reflect a little on the reality of poverty in Mexico, a reality that challenges each and every one of us and how this reality impacts the health of our Mexican people," said Dr. Llergo at the beginning of the event.
He called on those present not to get used to being privileged in a country with so much poverty and urged them not only to learn hard facts during the event, but to open their eyes and realize how these facts affect us. He also asked them to reflect on what they can do about it.
"I want to invite you to realize that the first value we contribute to society (...) is the forging of students as courageous citizens who, through the exercise of their profession, with a sense of responsibility (...), assume the challenge of promoting with creativity and human sense, to the extent of their possibilities, initiatives and projects for the common good of society and the environment in which they are immersed".
Health, poverty and indigenous population
Following this, Dr. Rodolfo de la Torre gave the keynote lecture Health, poverty and the indigenous population,
Dr. De la Torre commented: "when we talk about people's wellbeing, we think that it is about the wealth they have, the production of a country, the income they have to spend or their own consumption of goods and services. However, what we observe is that these resources are only the means to live as they wish and to choose among different options according to what they can afford.
On which he added: "well-being is the set of opportunities to live what we wish to have and the objects that are the means to do so". He also assured that this gives us the category of "agents, of promoters of what we want and that is the autonomy we have to generate what we consider valuable".
"Inequality of opportunities is precisely the lack of freedom, and if we are interested in this as a human value, we must look at one of the critical circumstances, which is poverty, the lack of resources and rights to achieve these fundamental capacities.
Social responsibility
For his part, Dr. Obrador Vera said: "We are here because social responsibility is one of the missions of the School of Health Sciences, which as you know, seeks to train doctors, nurses, psychologists (...) who are distinguished not only by their skills in specialization and research, but also by their human quality, professional ethics and social responsibility".
Thus, he set out to present the Pan American Health System, which aims to promote actions that are aligned with good global practices within the framework of social responsibility and the common good.
Afterwards, speakers from SIPASA, MAPFRE-UP Community and Panamerican School of Medicine, presented to the attendees the scope and needs they face in the communities where each organization is located.
The fruits of a labor
In closing, Dr. Santiago García indicated that social responsibility is a task that is really bearing fruit: "all these activities that are carried out in favor of the most disadvantaged have an infrastructure, a strategy, and people dedicated to it".
"The concept of social commitment is rooted in the person and it is Panamericana's invitation to the entire community, students and collaborators to reach this level of social commitment," he concluded.
