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Child Health and Islam Lessons for health promotion

Nicola Ruck MSc DHEdHealth & Development Consultant, Bradford, UK

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Objectives of the presentationStudents will have a greater Students will have a greater awareness of:awareness of: the Islamic contribution to health the Islamic contribution to health

promotionpromotion the importance of child care in the importance of child care in

IslamIslam methods of health education methods of health education

and health promotion for Muslim and health promotion for Muslim communities communities

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History of health education

and prevention of illness

M odern health prom otionto the present

Arab and Islam ic preventive m edicine610 -1610 AD / 0 - 1000 AH

G reco-Rom an m edicine and philosophyup to 600 AD/ 0 AH

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Islamic concepts of prevention from the 12th century Importance of personal hygiene Disease as an imbalance of natural

processes Avoidance of alcohol and excess

food Recognition of environmental

pollution as a cause of disease

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Health promotion through Islamic Lifestyles : The Amman Declaration 1409/1989 Produced by WHO EMRO and Islamic organisations

to promote good health in Islamic communities. Key points:

responsibility of professionals for health education

Islamic context helps understanding Islam advocates consultation,

cooperation and self-reliance.

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Health promotion through Islamic Lifestyles: The Amman Declaration 1409/1989 See notes for the full text of

the Amman Declaration

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World Health Organisation series of publicationsHealth Education through religionseries: The Right Path to Health 1. Islamic Rulings in Smoking

2. Water and Sanitation in Islam

3. Islamic Ruling on Animal Slaughter

4. Health Promotion through Islamic Lifestyles; the Amman Declaration

5. The Role of Religion and Ethics in the Prevention and Control of AIDS

6. Health an Islamic Perspective

7. Environmental Health an Islamic Perspective

8. Islamic Rulings on Male and Female Circumcision  

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Community-based health promotion : Islamic concepts Zat al bain : essential bonds within a

community Fard el kifaya: Collective duty to care about

others Duty to help communities to be self-sufficient Responsibility of professionals to apply their

knowledge to improve health

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Community: what does it mean? A group of people living in one

locality a group who share beliefs a group who share interests communities are not homogeneous:

they contain contain rich and poor, old and young, weak and strong

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Child Care in Islam Islam emphasises the importance of children’s health. The book “Child Care in Islam” by Al Azhar University, Cairo summarises Islamic principles on:

state and right of the child child survival and development nutrition and health child rearing in Islam hygiene

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Child Care in Islam Islamic principles and messages from religious texts.

For example: “There is no bigger sin than neglecting your

dependents” “Eat and drink but waste not by excess.” “Educate your children for they are born for a

time that is not yours.”

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Child Care in Islam More examples of relevant messages from religious texts: “…...start with the girls first” “Cleanliness is half the faith” “Islam has instructed us to wash (hands)

before and after our meals, as well as during ablutions”,

and many other instructions to wash regularly and keep the body clean.

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Translating messages into health education The messages are not enough on their own. To achieve understanding and changes in

behaviour, a good communication process is needed.

Health educators need to consider Who delivers the message? and How ?

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Components of a health education programme: consultation with communities involved agreeing target groups objectives of the programme the priority messages appropriate health educators suitable locations the type of communication the method of evaluation

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Consultation: Islamic structures can enable appropriate health education Shura is consultation between people and

their leaders Waqfs are contributions to welfare Health authorities cooperate with Shura Responsibilities of communities, mosques

and madrasas

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Example: components of a health education programme for Muslim womenon healthy infant feeding

Consultation: health team consult the local Shura council, religious leaders. Female health workers consult older women and women’s organisations. Male leaders are asked to consult and represent female family members. Use of Waqfs resources for meetings.

Objectives are agreed, such as: to provide support to every mother who wishes to

breastfeed; to ensure all women know the best local foods for

weaning infants.

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Example of health education programme on infant feeding continued

Messages: for example “Mothers shall suckle their children for two years” (Quran

II 233) Rice is a good weaning food

Health educators: women over 25 yrs and wives or sisters of leaders and health workers. Their training emphasises the value of Fard el kifaya, collective duty to care about others.

Locations: health authorities, Shura and religious leaders help to provide locations. Suitable for women: homes, hospitals and health centres, water sources, social gatherings.

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Example of health education programme on infant feeding continued

Communication of the messages by female health educators; individual and group discussions; two-way communication rather than lectures; listening to women’s problems; audio-visual materials such as stories, pictures, calendars, demonstrations of weaning foods.

Evaluation by survey of breastfeeding and weaning, acceptable to

women interviews to assess satisfaction of mothers review by health team and Shura council.

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Health education planning cycle

Objectives and

messages

Women health

educatorsTraining using

Islamic values

Two-way communication

in locations for women

Evaluation by

health educatorsand women

Shura and

community consultation

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Islamic scholarship made a historical contribution to health education

Today Islam can contribute messages, structures and policies

Combining systematic planning and Islamic structures can improve health education for Muslim communities

Summary