FAITH LEADERS UNITE IN NAIROBI TO TACKLE AFRICA’S MATERNAL AND CERVICAL CANCER CRISIS

BY VICTORIA MOVINE 

Faith leaders from diverse denominations during the launch of the Faith in Action Medical Conference — a collaborative initiative addressing Kenya’s urgent public health challenges, with a focus on cervical cancer and maternal and child health.

Religious and health leaders from across Africa gathered in Nairobi today for the Faith in Action Health Conference as a historic show of unity and resolve,  an unprecedented interfaith summit aimed at addressing the continent’s escalating maternal mortality and cervical cancer crises.

The two-day event, spearheaded by the Africa Health and Economic Transformation Initiative (AHETI), has drawn senior Catholic bishops, Muslim scholars, Protestant pastors, Hindu spiritual leaders, and Seventh-day Adventist representatives, alongside global health experts. Together, they are crafting a shared strategy to reduce preventable deaths among African women and mothers.

“As shepherds of our communities, we must not only preach about dignity and life—we must protect it,” declared Archbishop Philip Anyolo of Nairobi, the conference’s chief guest. “This moment demands more than prayer; it demands action.”

Fr. Charles Chilufya, S.J., Executive Director of AHETI, speaking during the launch of the Faith in Action Medical Conference.

Building on the momentum of the 2024 Nairobi Convening on Faith and Science, this year’s conference shifts focus to action, emphasizing community-based interventions. Priorities include expanding access to HPV vaccination, improving maternal health services, and boosting early cervical cancer screening—particularly in underserved regions where religious influence significantly shapes healthcare behavior.

“Religious leaders have the trust of millions. That trust must now be used to save lives,” said Fr. Charles Chilufya, S.J., Executive Director of AHETI. “We are moving from pulpits to public health campaigns.”

Kenya currently reports 342 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and cervical cancer remains the top cancer killer among Kenyan women, claiming more than 3,500 lives each year. Yet, HPV vaccine coverage remains below 30%, hampered by misinformation, cultural stigma, and limited healthcare access.

Dr. Hussein Iman of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) highlighted the vital role of faith in dismantling harmful myths: “Faith leaders must be part of the solution—championing awareness, acceptance, and access.”

Panels at the conference address faith-based health financing, universal health coverage, and policy advocacy to better integrate religious health institutions into national systems.

Concrete outcomes expected from the conference include interfaith commitments to expand vaccination and maternal care, collaborative frameworks between religious and governmental health systems, and mobilization of resources to upgrade faith-run healthcare services.

The movement doesn’t end here. On May 16–17, the Faith in Action Medical Camp will offer free healthcare services to over 1,000 underserved Nairobi residents at St. Francis Community Hospital in Kasarani, including screenings, consultations, and health education.

The African Health and Economic Transformation Initiative (AHETI), based in Nairobi, remains at the forefront of this mission, seeking to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare across the continent.