“Say: Travel through the Earth and deeply observe how God did originate the creation; then God produces the next creation; surely God has power over all things” (Qur’an 29:19-20)

Welcome and May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

"Your beliefs and morals make you the person you are which is presented to the outside world by your work."

Dr. IffatH Neha

What comes to mind when you think of public health? It can be and mean many different things, based on your world view and even your views of what is the “public.” In this current climate, health debates devolve to whether or not you should get vaccines, what new diet plan is recommended, and what is the importance of community health vs individual health. Generally, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), Health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (1). Is it possible to have individual health without ensuring the health of your community? Are we only our individual selves or part of a greater whole?

Much as Plato said that the individual and ideal state can coincide without harming the others’ interests (2), is it possible to provide public health to those less fortunate and help the individual in the process? For one scientist in India, health isn’t just about an individual’s well-being, but how others’ well-being impacts society as a whole.

“The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever”

(Hadith - Muslim and Bukhari)

Dr. Iffath Neha is a physician and senior program officer, clinical head of maternal and child health/family planning services for JHPIEGO in India. She worked for years taking care of individual patients’ health in our current model of healthcare. But, much as the individual is part of a greater whole, Dr. Neha found greater meaning in working for the underprivileged in society, particularly the refugee women from Burma. Since the summer of 2017, the military in Burma has been enacting an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Muslim minority Rohingya population (3). This has led to a refugee crisis in the area with people fleeing violence and rape. The Rohingya women have been systematically raped by the Burmese military, although rape was deemed a war crime after the Yugoslav War (4). As a result of this refugee crisis, neighboring countries are destinations for the Rohingya, although staying in these countries is not always deemed legal. India and Bangladesh are also resource-limited countries with inadequate healthcare services that are now dealing with a new refugee population that also has healthcare needs. Dr. Neha interviewed these refugees living in temporary settlements in outskirts of Hyderabad. She has found poor outcomes in terms of immunizations for young children, prenatal and antenatal care for pregnant women and general primary care services for adults. The purpose of Dr. Neha’s work is not to criticize any particular government, but is more of a call to action by all leaders and practitioners that the care of refugees is an important duty and should be fulfilled, particularly according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of “Good Health and Wellbeing” (5).

“Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart”

~Rumi

Although we may never know the hearts of those before us, we can view their actions and the impacts they made in the world. Not unfamiliar with luxury, Zubayda, niece of Khayzuran and wife of Harun al-Rashid, devoted lavishly to public works, projects for which she is still remembered today (6). She improved the water supply in Makkah in 805 A.D. when the well of Zamzam was threatened by drought. She also built a road from the city of Kufa (in current day Iraq) to Makkah (in current day Saudi Arabia), equipped with water stations and hilltop fire beacons to help travelers along the way (6). Zubayda remains an example of early Muslims focusing on the needs of the public to improve society as a whole.

“When you work in a sector of diverse people with varied backgrounds, social issues and challenging health problems, you get to know how blessed you are. People out there are suffering for survival, for livelihood, for identity, for safety. Just count your blessings and always thank the Almighty for giving you a peaceful life and try to make positive impact in others’ lives.” (Dr. Iffath Neha). If we all believed in the power of small gestures, what big differences do you think would be made in the world?

“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by then pen.” (Qur’an 96:1-4).

“Serve Allah and join not any partners with Him; and do good - to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer ye meet [...]” (Qur’an 4:36)