Building Trust in Immunisation: Partnering with Religious Leaders and Groups

By approaching religious groups with an informed respect for their views, communication and health officers can often gain the trust needed to garner their support. Whether immunizing children house-to-house or providing services at fixed sites, the support of the community is essential in achieving broad coverage. One way of eliciting such support is to gain the trust and confidence of religious leaders, who often wield tremendous authority at the grass roots. Religious leaders not only have the power to shape public opinion, they can also mobilize their constituencies and improve the links between communities and health services. By approaching religious groups with an informed respect for their views, communication and health officers can often gain the trust needed to garner their support.