On Wednesday 23 February 2022, Maggie Throup MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Vaccines and Public Health, convened a roundtable discussion to explore the honest reflections from community leaders, on the impact and experience of the pandemic, within their communities.
British Union Conference (BUC) Director for Health, Adventist Community Services and Women's Ministries, Sharon Platt-McDonald, was one of ten nominated individuals invited from faith and Black, African and Asian communities to discuss key aspects of the pandemic, including vaccine hesitancy, in these community groups.
Prof. Kevin Fenton CBE, Regional Director for London, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) chaired the session. A lively debate ensued as they aired varying reflections, including suggestions for improving communication and support for faith and culturally diverse groups. It will specifically refer to consent, engagement, choice, ethics, cultural and religious beliefs and practices.
Although a wider audience were also in attendance, the ten nominees had a platform to share how they assisted their communities through the pandemic. The sharing included the experiences of their communities, highlighting what worked well, identifying the barriers and challenges around improving community engagement, and suggestions on addressing vaccine hesitancy.
They recorded the event for government agencies such as the Department of Health England and Social Care (DHSC), Public Health and the UK Health Security Agency as a shared learning experience. The intent is to facilitate better collaboration and enhance understanding and inclusion of faith and diverse community groups in government decisions on health and national interventions.
They have invited Sharon to engage further with DHSC, Public Health England and the UK Health Security Agency on further projects and initiatives. These will centre around faith and diverse community groups and how health issues and government directives impact them.
She states: "I am thanking God for this opportunity to bring issues of faith, beliefs, liberty of conscience, and cultural perspectives, to significant government agencies. It is both a privilege and a humbling experience to have this platform to speak in an advisory capacity to key individuals responsible for policies and directives that impact all our lives. Please pray that I will be led by God, as He directs my contribution and engagement at this level."
