(UniSALESIANO, Araçatuba) – On a morning marked by emotion, faith and social commitment, the headquarters of Zatti Saúde, a new branch of the Salesian Mato Grosso Mission in Araçatuba, was opened on Tuesday, 10 June, in the presence of the Provincial of the Mission, Fr Ricardo Carlos, the Rector of UniSALESIANO and Director General of the Salesian Presence in Araçatuba, Fr Paulo Fernando Vendrame, and the mayor of Araçatuba, Lucas Zanatta.
The facility, located in the historic building that once housed the former Dom Luiz Lasagna Salesian College, will now house the administrative departments of Zatti Saúde, which is responsible for mental health and primary care services in Araçatuba through an agreement with the Araçatuba City Council.
‘Here, we want to dream of a new era for health in Araçatuba. May it be a place where administration serves to transform lives,’ said the Rector, Fr Paulo, recalling the historical importance of the site and thanking those involved in the renovation and conception of the project.
In his speech, he highlighted the figure of Saint Artemides Zatti, after whom the new headquarters is named, as an inspiration for the mission: ‘He believed, promised and recovered. May he inspire us in the face of difficulties to be instruments of transformation through humanised care.’
UNIQUE
Representing the public administration, the mayor of Araçatuba, Lucas Zanatta, highlighted the innovative nature of the partnership between the public authorities and the Salesian institution. “It is the only partnership in Brazil in which a university with a medical course takes over the management of primary health care. This seemed impossible a few months ago. Today it is a reality. And more than that, it is a sign of hope for the entire population,” said the mayor, alongside the first lady, Priscila Zanatta, and the deputy mayor, Maria Ionice Zuccon.
Fr Ricardo, who is on an official visit to the Salesian presence in Araçatuba, emphasised the symbolic nature of the opening and the value of alliances based on trust and solidarity. “Today, we are celebrating something very new. When we gave our ‘yes’ to this partnership, I was at Don Bosco’s house in Turin. And I remembered how he welcomed so many with a plate of food, with an opportunity. This is what we want to do here: welcome, care for, transform,” he said.
Father Ricardo also recalled with emotion his own history as a former student of the Salesian house and said he was proud to now lead this mission that unites faith, education and social action.
The new headquarters of Zatti Saúde will house strategic departments such as accounting, legal and HR, as well as rooms for board meetings and the coordination of Mental Health and Basic Health.
Also present at the event were the Municipal Secretary of Health, Dr Daniel Martins Ferreira Júnior, the Pro-Rector of Teaching, Research and Postgraduate Studies at UniSALESIANO, Prof. Dr André Ornellas, the Pro-Rector for Pastoral Care, Fr Paulo Jácomo, the Pro-Rector for Administration, Vanda Aparecida Guilherme de Moura, and the Coordinator of the Medicine Course, Prof. Dr Antônio Henrique Oliveira Poletto, among other academic, civil and religious authorities.
According to Prof. Dr André Ornellas, Zatti Saúde represents a concrete commitment to promoting human dignity. ‘This space is a symbol of a management that seeks, above all, to care for people with responsibility, respect and welcome. It is an important milestone for the city and for all who believe in a more humane and supportive healthcare system,’ he said.
The Zatti Saúde headquarters opens its doors not only as a physical structure, but as a new phase in the Salesian mission in Araçatuba: caring for life with competence, spirituality and deep respect for human dignity.
ABOUT ZATTI SAÚDE
Zatti Saúde is a branch of the Salesian Mission of Mato Grosso (MSMT), which works to manage essential services for the population, in partnership with the Araçatuba City Council. The agreement with the Municipal Administration was signed this year, with the aim of providing services in the RAPS and Primary Health Care (APS).
Source: ANS – “Agência iNfo Salesiana”