CHHATTISGARH and HARYANA, India — During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Maulana Sher Mohammed, a senior Islamic cleric, found himself talking a lot about vaccines. He had been roped in by local health workers, to spread awareness of both COVID-19 and routine childhood vaccines in Haryana’s Muslim-majority village, Ghasera.
To convince his community, Mohammed started using teachings from the Quran during prayers — in person and over loudspeakers — to remind people of the importance of health and hygiene. He told Devex, this is how he persuaded most villagers to get their children immunized.
Across India, religious leaders like Mohammed are taking on the mantle of public health advocates as nonprofits, researchers, and United Nations agencies enlist them to help historically marginalized communities access healthcare.
About the authors
Mahima Jain@theplainjain
Mahima Jain is an independent journalist based in India. She covers issues at the intersection of gender, health, culture, and environment.
Aradhna Wal
Aradhna Wal is an independent journalist based in New Delhi, who covers public health, development, and human rights in India.
