Contributing to the health of the financial system is, in a sense, encoded in the genes of central banks: one of the historical reasons for establishing a central bank was indeed to reinforce financial stability by having an institution that could act as a lender of last resort.
The policy followed by the European Central Bank since the start of the turmoil is very much in line with this historical role. The ECB has not remained passive. It has used the tools at his disposal, in particular its liquidity operations, to support the smooth functioning of the money market in periods of acute stress.