Conference abstract
Holistic healing: faith partnerships for primary health and well-being
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2024:21(7).29
Apr 2024.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2024.21.7.2338
Archived on: 29 Apr 2024
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Religion, health education
Oral presentation
Holistic healing: faith partnerships for primary health and well-being
Paul Mmbando1,&, Nosim Peter1, Priscus Audifas1, Joshua Johnson1, Godson Maro1, Vailet Mollel1, Mussa Ndile1, Anna Mahenge1, Aminiel Mongi1, Issa Murshid1, Wilfred Kasambala1
1Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) Headquarters, Health and Diakonia, Tanzania
&Corresponding author
Introduction: despite not being a religious state, over 90% of Tanzanians identify as members of the two largest religious communities, Muslims and Christians. Religious establishments have contributed significantly to the nation's supply of social services, including healthcare and education. Religious platforms allow religious leaders to easily access community resources and influence changes in all aspects of life.
Methods: ELCT runs different health programs in HIV/AIDS, palliative care (PC), sexual reproductive health and rights, and humanitarian emergency response (HER). ELCT utilized interfaith dialogue and collaborations, grassroots and high-level advocacy, community outreaches for service provision, and asset-based community development. Developed reference materials and guided religious leaders while quoting scriptures on matters of communicable diseases, SRHR, and gender-based violence.
Results: improved access to information and education on health, hence increased health-seeking behavior among communities. Contribution to achieving 95-95-95 UNAIDS goals through awareness creation, promotion of HIV testing, ART adherence, reduction of stigma and discrimination, GBV, and prevention of violence against children (VAC). Improved linkages with health facilities for health and related services. Strengthened community engagement to support interventions that improve the health and well-being of people, such as outreach activities, community dialogues (Time Travel Method), Coaching Boys into Men (CBIM) interventions, and school engagements.
Conclusion: the scriptures are full of information and can be referred to when providing education on different concepts of health and related services. Limited understanding of scriptures among many has produced misconceptions and contributed to the increase of disease burden, both communicable and non-communicable.
Holistic healing: faith partnerships for primary health and well-being
Paul Mmbando1,&, Nosim Peter1, Priscus Audifas1, Joshua Johnson1, Godson Maro1, Vailet Mollel1, Mussa Ndile1, Anna Mahenge1, Aminiel Mongi1, Issa Murshid1, Wilfred Kasambala1
1Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) Headquarters, Health and Diakonia, Tanzania
&Corresponding author
Introduction: despite not being a religious state, over 90% of Tanzanians identify as members of the two largest religious communities, Muslims and Christians. Religious establishments have contributed significantly to the nation's supply of social services, including healthcare and education. Religious platforms allow religious leaders to easily access community resources and influence changes in all aspects of life.
Methods: ELCT runs different health programs in HIV/AIDS, palliative care (PC), sexual reproductive health and rights, and humanitarian emergency response (HER). ELCT utilized interfaith dialogue and collaborations, grassroots and high-level advocacy, community outreaches for service provision, and asset-based community development. Developed reference materials and guided religious leaders while quoting scriptures on matters of communicable diseases, SRHR, and gender-based violence.
Results: improved access to information and education on health, hence increased health-seeking behavior among communities. Contribution to achieving 95-95-95 UNAIDS goals through awareness creation, promotion of HIV testing, ART adherence, reduction of stigma and discrimination, GBV, and prevention of violence against children (VAC). Improved linkages with health facilities for health and related services. Strengthened community engagement to support interventions that improve the health and well-being of people, such as outreach activities, community dialogues (Time Travel Method), Coaching Boys into Men (CBIM) interventions, and school engagements.
Conclusion: the scriptures are full of information and can be referred to when providing education on different concepts of health and related services. Limited understanding of scriptures among many has produced misconceptions and contributed to the increase of disease burden, both communicable and non-communicable.
