Controversies in faith and health care
Andrew Tomkins, Jean Duff, Atallah Fitzgibbon, Azza Karam, Ed Mills, Keith Munnings, Sally Smith, Shreelata Rao Seshradi, Avraham Steinberg,
Robert Vitillo, Philemon Yugiand
the Lancet Team (Bill Summerskill and colleagues)
at the launch of the
Lancet Series on Faith-Based health care
Washington DC, USA July 7th 2015
Background to this Paper
1) Inadequate health care, especially in LDCs.
2) Differences in faith – based viewpoints may affect need for, delivery of and uptake of health care.
3) Little analysis of the interface between religious faith and health care.
Pew Forum – 2010 - > 84% of World’s Population reports having a
Religious Faith
Personal behaviour
and use/provisi
on of health care
Culture Socio-
economic
LawsPolitic
sExtremistIdeological Viewpoints
Faith
Key Question Number 1:-
What is the role of Faith in:- a) Health Damaging Behaviour?b) Provision/Use of health care services?
1) Child Marriage
2) Female Genital Mutilation
3) Violence Against Women
4) Opposition to immunisation
1) Sexual and Reproductive Health Services
2) HIV/AIDS Services
3) End of Life Issues
4) Faith activities in health care
Key Question No.2 :-
What examples of “good practice” by Faith Based health care Organisations already exist?
Case Studies:- Faith Leaders promoting elimination of Health Damaging Behaviours:-
• Child Marriage – Yemen
• FGM – Senegal
• VAW – We will Speak Out (WWSO)
Case Studies – FBOs and Leaders increasing provision and uptake of health care services
• Immunisation – northern Nigeria and Pakistan
• Harm Reduction – Malaysia
• HIV – India
• Family Planning – Malawi
• End of Life Care - Tanzania
Key Question Number 3:-
How can Faith Leaders and Health Leaders work together more effectively to provide health care, especially in “hard to reach” populations?
Faith Leaders
Health care Leaders -
Policy and Practitioners
Faith Based Health care
Organisations Organisations
Local Government Health care
services
At Present
Faith Leaders
Health care Leaders – Policy and
Practitioners
Faith Leaders and FBOS –
with Communities
nisati
Local Government health care
services - with Communities
Vision for the Future
1) Faith Leaders
using Sacred Texts to decreaseperinatal
HIV transmission
2) National Health Planners – incorporating faith-based health care
programmes
3) Donors (e.g. DFID, UK) sharing their experience of working with
Faith Groups in health care
Recommendations:-
1. Faith leaders to become more “Health Active”.2. Health care leaders to become more “Faith
Active”.3. Work together on specific “Healthcare Issues
for collaborative action”. 4. Integrate Faith into national health care
programmes more imaginatively5. Research – policies, programming and impact.
• Achieving Universal Health Coverage will need active collaboration between faith and health care leaders.
• Turning Controversies into Compassionate Concerted Action.
Thank you for listening –
“We hope you enjoy the paper and we look forward to questions and feedback”
- from the
“Controversies in Faith and Health care” Team
Top Related