Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce
Then, the lack of physical structure was compensated by Sister Dulce's tireless determination and managerial capacity and the volunteer support of friendly doctors and the community as a whole.
In the late 1980s, due to economical instability and increased patient demand, OSID wentthrough a financial crisis, which worsened with Sister Dulce's deteriorating health condition.
Since 2000, the organization reformed its organizational structure and invested in strategic areas like Information technology, research, communication and company history, in order to support the increase in services provided ant to make possible a secure planning in the next years, facing self-sustainability as its biggest challenge.
After a period of planned growth, inflation, loss of revenue and even bigger increase in patient demand (21,75% in Santo Antônio Hospital), caused OSID to go through another financial crisis in 2003, forcing the management to cut down on its expenses severely.
The hallmark of OSID is humanized care and the practice of providing free services is faithful to Sister Dulce's wish of always keeping her door open to the needy.
Ten areas of medical specialization are offered by CEPPAJ and, at any given time, approximately 300 residents and interns are all working to receive their professional qualifications.
In 2005, the BioImaging Nuclei, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, performed 98,224 tests, including digestive tract endoscopies, mammograms, ultra-sonograms, echocardiograms, and tomograms (CAT scans).
Considered a national point of reference by the Ministry of Health for the correction of craniofacial anomalies, a condition which affects approximately 30,000 people in Bahia, Centrinho is Brazil's second leading recovery center for facial cleft patients.
The Antalgic Therapy Clinic, which is part of the nucleus, operates under the philosophy of holistic recovery and expert integration for the treatment of patients with chronic pain.
Students have access to a state-of-the-art computer laboratory and multi-media presentation center, a library, sports and entertainment programs including Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial arts and dance discipline.
CGJM is the only institution in Bahia recognized by the Ministry of Health to provide a full range of services for the elderly including out-patients, in-patients, and members of the community.
CPEC's objectives relate specifically to research on social pathologies and focus on improving therapies, diagnosis and prevention of prevailing diseases which affect the needy.
The advanced technical level of CPEC has helped make it one of the world's leading centers for the research and development of vaccines which target the prevention of cervical and prostate cancer.
The investment in its perpetuation has as its pillar the Sister's canonization process, which started in January 2000 with the aim of having the Catholic Church acknowledge the virtues and the tireless determination of one of God's Servants who dedicated her life to the needy.
Presently, the process, whose postulator is an Italian Friar, Paolo Lombardo, is following the procedural steps from the Congregation to the Cause of Saints in the Vatican.
With the presentation of the Positio, a canonic law text that summarizes the process and the history of the virtues and the possible miracle already identified by the Vatican, the beatification is getting closer.
As part of the work in favor of this cause, OSID has invested in the dissemination of Sister Dulce's life, launching a book of thoughts and her biography, as well as the construction of the Church of Our Lady of the Conception of God's mother.
As a symbol of Sister Dulce's legacy of action and faith, the church building complies with the Vatican's recommendation as reinforcement to the beatification process and gives more institutional feasibility to OSID.
