WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 5, 2021) — National Minority Quality Forum’s Center for Sustainable Health Care and Equity (NMQF-SHC) announced that it will work with a network of pastors to launch the Faith Health Alliance — an effort to increase awareness of the benefits of COVID-19 and influenza vaccination in African American communities throughout the United States.
Respected faith leaders can lead to sustainable and accountable health outcomes in Black communities, said Dr. Laura Lee Hall, President of SHC.
“The Black church is a cornerstone of community health promotion and the flu vaccine is an easy way to begin and (sustain) health promotion in underserved communities with a goal to expand into a variety of health issues,” she said.
The Rev. Dr. Terris King and Bishop Dr. J. L. Carter, who are leading Faith Health Alliance, said African Americans have suffered vaccine disparities, COVID-19 infection and death, and other health inequities – through less knowledge and access, social and economic barriers and discrimination and bias in the health system. Pastors can play a pivotal role in closing these deadly gaps.
“The church is committed to spiritual and physical healing – we are spirit and body,” the Rev. Dr. Carter said.
The Rev. Dr. Terris King expanded, “The interrelatedness of health equity and faith is being renewed nationally by the Faith Health Alliance, organized first to fight COVID and the Flu in 10 cities through increased Immunization. Prayerfully, this is a new beginning in addressing what Dr. King declared: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhuman.”
Dr. Hall said she is deeply honored to be working with Bishop Carter and the Rev. Dr. King to launch this program, which will give African Americans access to life-saving information, trusted guidance, and a safe space to talk about their health concerns.
“We are working to empower the African American community to understand and promote their own health through vaccination,” Dr. Hall said.
The Faith Health Alliance will feature virtual and in-person events, focus groups with pastors, dissemination of materials on flu vaccination to parishioners, vaccination clinics, as well as communications support for faith leaders in their communities.
Participating churches and pastors include:
- Pastor Hosie Hopkins
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church - Pastor Nicole Slater
Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church - Pastor Charles McNeill
Unity Baptist Church - Pastor Thurmond Bowens
Trinity Baptist Church - Pastor Joe Ratliff
Brentwood Baptist Church - Pastor William Foster
Providence Baptist Church - Pastor Eric Goode
Peoples Baptist Church - Bishop Leofric Thomas, Sr.
Open Arms Community Church
This program is supported by funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NMQF’s SHC vaccine initiatives also receive support from Sanofi Pasteur.
Source:
https://ai-healthnet.com/faith-health-alliance/
https://tnc.network/lifestyle/
