Shillong, Oct 14: From church pulpits to temple gatherings, Meghalaya is now taking health messages through faith.
A two-day workshop on ‘Harnessing the Power of Faith for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health’ was held at the State Guest House here, which concluded today.
The Mind-Heart Dialogue (MHD) workshop brought together faith leaders from Catholic Archdiocese, KJP Assembly, Sein Raij, Seng Khasi, Sikh Community, Muslim Union, Ramakrishna Mission, Buddhist Association, Unitarian Church, Seventh Day Adventist, Garo Baptist Convention and Shillong All Faith Forum (SAFF), along with health officials, frontline workers and UNICEF partners.
The aim of the workshop is to use the trust people have in faith leaders to push early pregnancy registration, antenatal check-ups, institutional delivery, postnatal care, breastfeeding and full immunization, especially in remote and vulnerable villages.
Meghalaya still sees gaps in institutional delivery and immunization. Consultations in all 12 districts showed fear, family pressure, social norms and transport are major barriers.
The workshop used the MHD approach, linking scientific evidence with faith values, empathy and lived experiences. It builds on the Behavioural Insights for Routine Immunization model and collaboration with UNICEF, Assam Don Bosco University and Northeast SBC Alliance.
Faith leaders will now use congregations, women and youth groups and schools to bust myths, counsel families and link vulnerable homes to health services. Each institution will prepare a 90-day action plan.
The initiative will also create a Meghalaya Faith and MNCH Community of Practice to coordinate with NHM and State Health Systems Resource Centre.
Officials said faith leaders will complement, not replace, doctors, connecting trusted community networks to public health to ensure every mother and child gets timely care.
