Meghalaya faith leaders partner to improve maternal and child health

A two-day workshop titled ‘Harnessing the Power of Faith for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health’ was held in Shillong, Meghalaya, to address gaps in healthcare outcomes. The event brought together faith leaders from various religious communities—including Catholic, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu groups—alongside health officials and UNICEF partners.

The initiative aims to utilize the influence of religious leaders to promote essential health practices such as early pregnancy registration, antenatal check-ups, institutional delivery, postnatal care, breastfeeding, and full immunization. Consultations across the state’s 12 districts revealed that social norms, family pressure, fear, and transportation issues act as significant barriers to healthcare access in remote areas.

Using the ‘Mind-Heart Dialogue’ approach, the program seeks to link scientific evidence with faith values and community empathy. Participating institutions will develop 90-day action plans to use congregations and youth groups to dispel myths and connect vulnerable families to medical services. A new Meghalaya Faith and MNCH Community of Practice will be established to coordinate these efforts with state health systems.