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CHEGUTU District Aids coordinator, Virginia Tausa, says engagement is key in efforts to rope in faith-based sceptics to medical health initiatives.
She was speaking on the sidelines of the national clean-up event in Norton on Friday.
The event is held every first Friday of each month.
NAC provided an assortment of services at Katanga Shopping Centre as part of the proceedings.
Quizzed by H-Metro on the strategies that could be used to reach out to communities which were reportedly shunning medical facilities on grounds of religion, Tausa gave an eye-opening response.
“In my early days as a nurse, I was once deployed to an area called Majada in Manicaland.
“A large number of villagers are members of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church.
“I remember there was a time when a woman died during childbirth, at home.
“I cried in front of community leaders and convinced them that medicine was there to complement their faith and not work against it.
“I won some of them over,” she said.
Tausa said she believes if such communities see that their beliefs were being respected, instead of being undermined, they could accept medicine.
“At another time, I agreed to join them in praying for the salt-and-sugar solution we had prepared for diarrhoea patients (kuyeresa), just as they wanted.
“They accepted the solution on that condition, despite it being prepared at a clinic,” said Tausa.
Tausa’s statement shows the existence of an opportunity to engage such communities and work around their specific beliefs.
The same can also be done with any other similar constituencies.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter