In western Pará, the Papa Francisco Boat has already provided over half a million health services to the population
In almost six years, the vessel named after the pontiff visits riverside communities, conducting consultations, exams, and surgeries
Along the rivers of the western Pará region, the vessel "Papa Francisco" continues to bring health and assistance to those in need. The boat, named after the pontiff who recently passed away after 12 years as the global leader of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church, is about to complete six years of expeditions to riverside communities in the Lower Amazon, Calha Norte, Xingu, and Tapajós. During this period, 526,202 health services have been provided in 17 municipalities.
The project is the result of a partnership between the Government of Pará and the São Francisco de Assis in the Providence of God Association. The agreement allows for 22 expeditions per year, providing medical consultations, laboratory and imaging exams, medication delivery, hospitalizations, as well as low and medium complexity surgeries to the riverside population. There are about three thousand services per expedition.
"The Papa Francisco Hospital Boat is more than just a vessel — it is a symbol of the care that the Government of Pará has for the riverside populations. In almost six years, we have already totaled over half a million services, ensuring access to essential health services for those living in hard-to-reach areas. Inspired by the legacy of welcome and love for others left by Pope Francis, we remain committed to offering dignity, assistance, and quality of life to those who need it most," highlighted the State Secretary of Public Health, Ivete Vaz.
The Papa Francisco Hospital Boat was built with resources from a collective moral damage indemnity agreement signed by the Regional Labor Court (TRT 15 - Campinas) with the company Raízen Combustível and the Public Ministry of Labor. The vessel was inaugurated on August 19, 2019, in Belém. At the event, Governor Helder Barbalho signed a funding agreement for the project's operation. Since then, the expeditions have not stopped, and assistance has reached the riverside communities.
Services - Mrs. Margarida Sousa Almeida is a resident of the São Joaquim community on the Erepecuru River in Oriximiná, and she had only praise for the service. "God is sending this health to our quilombo, it is very important. We have never had this opportunity, and now we have various types of services here. Not just me, but everyone who was attended liked it very much," she celebrated.
Nildece Sousa dos Santos, from the Pancada community, also in Oriximiná, underwent surgery on the hospital boat. "I can only thank the people who came from Pope Francis. They are volunteers who come to provide this work here for us, riverside dwellers of the Erepecuru River."
In each expedition, the team offers fixed medical specialties, such as general practice, ophthalmology, pediatrics, and radiology, in addition to dental care, but each community served has a profile that is taken into account when defining health services. In cases where a need for a service not available on the vessel is identified, the patient is referred to the Unified Health Service, through regulation between the municipality of origin and Sespa.
With the mission of bringing quality assistance to the riverside population, the Hospital Boat follows examples left by Pope Francis, such as welcoming those in need and loving one another.
"Here in Pará, people call the boats simply by name. It is very interesting when someone reports that Pope Francis was in the community, was in that person's house. The boat carries the name of a Pope who had a very keen eye for the people of the Amazon. For us, it is also a great responsibility to continue the great legacy that this man left. Pope Francis will always be remembered for this project and everything we have built in this region," emphasized the coordinator of the Hospital Boat, Frei Ezequiel Salvático.
Structure - The Hospital Boat measures 32 meters in length and has 20 permanent crew members, including technical and maritime teams, plus 10 to 15 volunteer professionals who rotate on the expeditions, which last between 7 and 10 days.
The modern structure includes medical and dental offices, a surgical center, a complete ophthalmology room, an analysis laboratory, a medication room, a vaccination room, and hospital beds, as well as diagnostic equipment such as digital X-ray, mammography, echocardiogram, ultrasound, and electrocardiogram. In addition to basic health care for the population, the teams work on cancer prevention and early diagnosis by conducting exams and screenings.
The vessel also has the support of two ambulances, which conduct screenings in the communities as a backup for any more serious incidents that require urgent and emergency care.
