Muslim Communities as Allies in Pandemic Containment
In October, Dr. Elmoubashar Farag, an expert in infectious diseases and global health, joins the Academy for Islam in Research and Society (AIWG) as an International Research Fellow. At AIWG, Dr. Farag will examine the experiences, needs, and potential contributions of Muslim communities in the context of pandemic preparedness and response.
As demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, epidemics and the measures required to contain them demand not only medical interventions but also effective social responses. Public acceptance of preventive measures is shaped by political, social, and cultural factors, making culturally sensitive approaches essential to public health. In this context, Muslim communities and religious leaders can play an important mediating role between healthcare systems and Muslim populations. By fostering trust, promoting understanding, and encouraging engagement with public health recommendations, they can contribute to greater acceptance of preventive measures and enhance the effectiveness of epidemic control strategies.
As part of his research project, Dr. Farag plans to conduct surveys among Muslim communities and imams to explore their perspectives on preventive healthcare, their ethical considerations, and the challenges they face in implementing pandemic-related restrictions. The findings will be presented to leading epidemiological institutions in Germany at an expert workshop. The project aims to contribute to the development of evidence-based, culturally sensitive approaches to pandemic preparedness and response.
Dr. Farag is a Professor of Community Medicine at Al-Sharq University for Science and Technology in Sudan and a Visiting Professor of Global Health at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. From 2011 to 2024, he headed the Communicable Disease Control Program at Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health. He holds two PhDs: one in Communicable Disease Surveillance and Control from the University of Gezira in Sudan and another in Emerging Infectious Diseases from Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Global Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom.
