The Church Health Association of Kenya (CHAK) partnered with health facilities managed by faith-based organizations (FBOs), religious leaders, and community health volunteers to increase access to family planning in western Kenya. FBO-managed health facilities saw large increases in family planning uptake over the 5-year project, particularly for implants.

Introduction: Religious leaders are universally recognized as having an influence on immunization uptake and coverage in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite this, there is limited understanding of three questions: 1) how do religious leaders impact the uptake and coverage of immunization in LMICs? 2) what successful strategies exist for working with local faith actors to improve immunization acceptance? and 3) what evidence gaps exist in relation to faith engagement and immunization? Methods: In January 2021, we searched PubMed and Google Scholar databases covering the period from January 1, 2011, to January 15, 2021, with key search terms related to faith engagement and immunization in peer-reviewed literature and conducted a gray literature review to answer these three questions. We excluded articles covering faith engagement and immunization in high-income countries, news articles, online blogs, social media postings, and articles in languages outside of English. Data were coded to guide thematic analysis. Results: We found extensive evidence supporting the value of religious engagement for immunization promotion and acceptance in LMICs across faiths. However, there was limited rigorous evidence and examples of specific approaches for engaging local faith actors to strengthen immunization uptake in LMICs. As a result, there is a lack of widely shared knowledge of what works (or doesn’t) and successful models for engaging local faith actors.  Additional current evidence gaps include: few rigorous study designs; a lack of vaccine hesitancy studies outside of Nigeria and Pakistan; and limited exploration of faith engagement and immunization in religions other than Islam and Christianity. Conclusions: Our review findings reinforce the powerful role local faith actors play in diverse communities within LMICs in both promoting and inhibiting immunization uptake. The literature review comes at a critical time, given the urgent need to expand access to COVID-19 vaccination in LMICs. Findings from this review will advance understanding on how to more effectively engage local faith actors in promoting immunization campaigns and addressing vaccine hesitancy, which is more complex than expected. Further study is needed to understand how to most effectively counter vaccine hesitancy in different geographic, linguistic, and socio-cultural contexts.

Although it is often assumed that religion has a negative influence on family planning (FP), virtually all faith traditions support the concept of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy. n

Common perinatal mental disorders are the most frequent complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and the prevalence among women in low- and middle-income countries is the highest at nearly 20%. Women are the cornerstone of a healthy and prosperous society and until their mental health is taken as seriously as their physical wellbeing, we will not improve maternal mortality, morbidity and the ability of women to thrive. On the heels of several international efforts to put perinatal mental health on the global agenda, we propose seven urgent actions that the international community, governments, health systems, academia, civil society, and individuals should take to ensure that women everywhere have access to high-quality, respectful care for both their physical and mental wellbeing. Addressing perinatal mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention and treatment of common perinatal mental disorders must be a global priority.

Background and aims: Faith-based organizations (FBOs) provide a substantial portion of the health care services in many African countries. FBO facilities do consider family planning and reproductive health services as essential to reducing maternal and child mortality, and to the growth of healthy families. Many health facilities, however, struggle to maintain adequate stocks of reproductive health (RH) supplies because of the various RH supply chains and funding sources, which often operate separately from other medicines and supplies. The purpose of this study is to identify the types of supply chain systems used by African faith-based health facilities to acquire reproductive health products (clotrimazole, combined oral contraceptive pills, contraceptive implants, CycleBeads®, emergency contraception, Erythromycin, female condoms, injectable contraceptives, intra-uterine contraceptive devices, magnesium sulfate, male condoms, Methyldopa, Misoprostol, Nifedpine, Oxytocin, and Progestin-only pills), to describe their problems and challenges, and to identify possible corrective actions.

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Words, and the emotions they elicit, matter. This is especially true when dealing with a subject that inflames passionate emotions like family planning (FP). Despite the benefits gained from FP, such as improved maternal and child health, many remain skeptical, especially with questions of abortion's place in discussing women's sexual and reproductive health. Language to talk about FP with US government (USG) policymakers and faith-based organizations (FBOs), especially from a conservative perspective, was tested through focus groups, one-on-one interviews with FBOs and 18 Congressional offices. Overall results were clear that defining what terms mean is crucial to buy-in, helped identify which terms are most palatable to faith audiences in the US and understanding the context of when and how to use terms and definitions is essential when advocating to USG audiences on such a sensitive topic. Despite the benefits gained from family planning (reduce poverty, reduce risk of HIV/AIDS, improve maternal and child health) some policy makers remain skeptical. Many of these reservations come from questions of abortion's place in discussing women's sexual and reproductive health. However, FP services reduce abortions, by preventing unplanned pregnancies and empower families to grow in safe and healthy ways. Highlighting initiatives supported by local faith leaders, reinforcing messages from health care professionals, can reduce the skepticism of FP services. This allows policy makers to make decisions impacting family planning based on facts and data, not conjecture. Key messages Explain what language is most palatable and culturally appropriate to use and be understood by faith-based organizations and conservative policy makers in the United States on family planning. Discuss others experiences in speaking with conservative policy makers in the United States regarding family planning.

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) provide approximately 40% of healthcare in Kenya and 30% in Zambia. Promoting healthy families is a value at the heart of faith communities. This intervention focused on equipping and encouraging religious leaders (RLs), whose churches own and operate faith-based health facilities, to advocate for family planning (FP) within their congregations, communities, governments. This project included baseline assessments, FP sensitization, and media trainings. Religious leaders were trained through an adaptation of the AFP SMART training by ensuring culturally appropriate messaging for religious audiences were included (i.e. using scripture to discuss and develop messages on families, planning, having children, etc.). Training RLs provides an entree into government fora as culturally respected leaders in positions of power. In order for external advocacy to take place outside of church settings, it is crucial to identify how each church defines FP before meeting with external stakeholders. Creation of low-literacy terms in English and local languages that equipped RLs to interact with community members in-person (i.e. church services, weddings, funerals, community barazas, etc.) and via TV and radio shows was key in addressing myths and misconceptions. Eighty-six religious leaders from 16 denominations in Kenya and Zambia were engaged to sensitize communities and advocate with their Ministries of Health on behalf of the faith community to ensure family planning services reach communities. Equipping RLs in culturally and language appropriate contexts builds stronger advocates for healthy families and communities. Key messages To demonstrate how religious leaders in Kenya and Zambia are equipped to advocate for family planning from a faith perspective. Words and definitions and messengers matter in Family Planning Advocacy from a faith perspective.