Maslaha in practice

Maslaha and Health

Maslaha aims to tackle the underlying causes of poor access and poor management of illnesses which can arise from distrust and misunderstanding.

This strand will provide greater understanding to healthcare workers about how Islam can touch on all aspects of a Muslim patient's life and how they can use this knowledge to gain the confidence of their local Muslim community. A Muslim patient is more likely to visit a GP or nurse if they feel their beliefs and way of life are understood.

Equally, religious guidance can be used to direct Muslim patients to lead healthier lifestyles and manage illnesses better.

The launch of the Diabetes in Tower Hamlets website follows a well thought through process of consultation with nurses, patients, GPs and consultants, enabling us to develop an informed and useful resource which truly addresses the gaps in understanding and communicates advice for living with diabetes in an accessible way.

This successful pilot study is the first step towards a long-term project which will deal with other illnesses, including mental health issues that are affected by poor access and miscommunication between the Muslim community and healthcare practitioners.

Some of the methods we use include:

• An interactive website that is used by both medical staff and patients to help advise on diabetes. The website offers advice on diet, exercise, and Ramadan both from a medical and Islamic perspective. Doctors and nurses are also giving patients printouts of the information on the website

• A DVD that provides accessible information in English and Sylethi about diet, fasting, taking responsibility for your health and Ramadan from both a medical and Islamic perspective

• A couple of internet cafes in Bethnal Green are also hosting this diabetes website as a homepage

• We are also in the process of displaying posters highlighting this diabetes pilot in surgeries, halal butchers, grocers and barbers

Visit www.diabetesintowerhamlets.org for more information.