A conference on The Role and Contribution of Religious Communities in Fighting Tuberculosis Epidemic in Ukraine

On June 11, 2013, an international conference took place in Kyiv.  It was dedicated to the formation of a unified vision by the representatives of Church and religious confessions as to the mobilization of local religious communities for counteracting the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic.  Among the participants were eight UGCC representatives: Head of UGCC Commission on Pastoral Issues in Health Protection (Rev. Andriy Lohin), supervisors of Departments of UGCC Patriarchal Curia on Issues of Penitentiary Pastoral Care (Rev. Konstiantyn Panteley), Social Issues (Rev. Andriy Nahirniak), and medical chaplains from various eparchies.

TB epidemic in Ukraine creates a danger for national safety due to the high rate of sickness and the spreading of different forms of this illness.  Improving the epidemic situation of TB is impossible without including society’s resources in overcoming his problem.  Thus, in cases of TB epidemics, it is of vital importance to involve local religious communities.

Tasks of the conference included: carrying out an increase of knowledge about TB (symptoms, contagiousness, medication) and the schemes of ideal behavior “From Coughs to Health”; spreading information on the priorities of the government policy on controlling TB (national and local programs, advocacy strategies, communication and social mobilization); presentation of best examples of social mobilization and the role of local religious communities in assisting TB patients.

The result of the conference was the formation of a project of a joint position of the All-Church Council of Churches and Religious Organizations in Counteracting TB in Ukraine.

Reported by Rev. Andriy Nahirniak