Strengthening religious leaders’ role as preventive health champions in Guatemala

Religious leaders are key partners in informing and influencing decisions around community perspectives on health. Following the implementation of integrated preventive health and nutrition brigades in Alta Verapaz between July and October 2022, a training was held between 15 – 16 November 2022 to encourage religious leadership to think and implement preventive health measures in their communities.

Two religious leaders from different denominations in fifteen municipalities involved in Salud Sobre Ruedas, a mobile brigade strategy to promote integrated preventive health in Alta Verapaz, were invited to participate. Community liaisons from Salud Sobre Ruedas were instrumental in translating workshop content to local languages for all participants to understand. Positive feedback was received from Ministry of Health personnel and religious leaders, who requested that these workshops are implemented at the local level in each community for other members of their religious congregations. Given the demonstrated interest and participation from religious leaders, their involvement in health promotion strategies is a key factor to achieve success at the community level and should be considered for future public health initiatives.

45 participants including five representatives from the Guatemalan Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MOH- Alta Verapaz Health Directorate), PAHO, and 38 thirty-eight religious leaders from Baptist, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Menonite, Pentecostal, and Catholic groups representing 15 municipalities in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala were in attendance.