Diabetes in Tower Hamlets

A new website aimed at tackling health inequalities affecting Muslim communities in the UK has gone live just before Ramadan.

The resource is part of the Maslaha project, a new organisation being established by the Young Foundation aimed at helping Muslims deal with the everyday dilemmas of living in western society. Maslaha translates from Arabic as ‘for the common good’ and the organisation will be built around an interactive website. 

The health pilot, which has been commissioned by Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust, focuses on managing diabetes of which there is a disproportionately high occurrence amongst Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities.  Maslaha has produced a website and films in both Sylethi and English which give advice from a religious and medical perspective to help tackle diabetes.

Maslaha’s health strand will contribute towards providing a greater understanding amongst healthcare workers about how Islam can touch on all aspects of a Muslim patient’s life and how they can use this knowledge to gain the confidence of their local Muslim community. A Muslim patient is more likely to visit a GP or nurse if they feel their beliefs and way of life are understood.

Equally, religious guidance can be used to direct Muslim patients to lead healthier lifestyles and manage illnesses better.

Please visit www.diabetesintowerhamlets.org for more information.