Heckmondwike mosque and NHS trust team up for month of health checks as part of research study

The initiative was organised by the Dawat-E-Islami movement, supporting the NHS Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust and the NHS South West Yorkshire Partnership.

Facilitators turned up every Friday in August after “Jumma” congregational prayers to collect saliva samples from different volunteers each week willing to take part in the research survey. The idea is to use the findings from these samples as part of a wider national study commissioned by the Queen Mary University of London Hospital.

Assistant-Imam Mohammad Yasir Athari, from the Albion Street place of worship, who himself gave his own saliva sample at one of the Friday workshops, said: “These outreach NHS health checks are part of an important research study aimed at finding out – through analysing the saliva samples – more about the links between human genes and long-term health conditions such as diabetes and strokes, as well as certain cardiovascular diseases.

“There is alarming evidence showing rates are high, especially among different South-Asian ethnic groups.

“Even more worrying is evidence from reports published over the past several years that have time and again talked about the fact people from British-Pakistani and British-Bangladeshi backgrounds face a much higher risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases and other linked metabolic conditions.

“There have also been studies showing alarmingly higher levels of coronary heart disease existing among these two particular communities. But the facts do not just stop with such illnesses.

“The two communities also have higher type 2 diabetes and hypertension rates, which makes them more vulnerable.

“Previous statistics collected by organisations like the Health Foundation, The King's Fund, the British Heart Foundation, as well as data from independent research done by different universities, and the government's own official Department of Health statistics, together all support the alarming evidence.

“What's more worrying is the fact people from Pakistani and Bangladeshi households are still under-represented in this important research. The focus therefore in Heckmondwike was on our local Pakistani residents.”

The Kanzul-Iman Jamia Mosque's Head-Imam, Mufti Shams-Ul-Huda Khan Misbahi, added: “We felt absolutely delighted to welcome this important research study outside our premises. Working in partnership with different projects is very important to us, especially if it can help improve people's health and quality of life opportunities.

“Our place of worship is here to help out in any way possible. Health awareness education is just as important as spiritual health-focused education.

“As part of the same global human family, we are all facing the same health challenges. The more research therefore that can be done, then the better it will be for everyone. It’s all about working together.”

Dawat-E-Islami is a global Sufi-Muslim spiritual movement established in 1982. The initiative works through its charitable organisation FGRF – Faizan Global Relief Foundation – in countries across Africa, the Middle East, North America, Asia and also within the European Union.

The movement has over recent years seen a need to work through its various different projects in some economically deprived areas across the north of England. A priority focus for Dawat-E-Islami at the moment is in Kirklees and Bradford, where health education workshops are being organised similar to the ones recently held in Heckmondwike.