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