Churches and faith communities have a vibrant role to play in addressing the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Churches and other religious communities not only have a constant and influential reach to the grassroots to offer populations practical advice about hygiene and safe funeral practices but can also directly address the deeper cultural and religious roots of widespread stigma and discrimination that have accompanied the epidemic.

The consultation to be held at the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, will draw together some 70 health professionals, representatives of church-related health associations, and ecumenical organizations, UN agencies, religious leaders, theologians, and other critical stakeholders.

The aim is to update one another on current responses and emerging challenges such as to ensure that responses, including burial rituals and procedures, are safe, compassionate and respect people’s dignity. Channels of communication between critical stakeholders will be identified or established where absent.

Coordination of roles among faith-based organizations in the response to Ebola will strengthen their commitment to collaborate in community mobilization, de-stigmatization and addressing cultural barriers to medical access.

It will also ensure essential services for conditions such as HIV, TB, Malaria, sexual and reproductive health and other non-communicable diseases are not side-lined during emergency management.

The participants will also consider proactive measures to address the possibility of the Ebola outbreak being transmitted into neighbouring countries.

Read also: Churches and agencies formulate responses to Ebola outbreak (WCC press release of 1 October 2014)