In Bangladesh, a pioneering programme involving mosques and religious leaders aims to curb the surging diabetes epidemic by integrating health advice with faith and community engagement, with plans to extend its reach to other religious groups and promote international cooperation.
In a rural mosque in Bangladesh, religious advice is increasingly being paired with practical guidance on diet, exercise and the risk of type 2 diabetes. The idea is simple: messages delivered by trusted community figures, and reinforced in familiar settings, may be easier for people to absorb and act on than advice offered only in a short clinic visit. The original article from Diabetes Voice describes how this approach is intended to link faith, family life and everyday health choices.
The need is pressing. According to the International Diabetes Federation, 13.9 million adults in Bangladesh were living with diabetes in 2024, with prevalence among adults aged 20 to 79 reaching 13.2%. The federation projects that the number will rise to 23.1 million by 2050, an increase of about two-thirds. Against that backdrop, the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, the Directorate General of Health Services and the Islamic Foundation launched the Diabetes Prevention through Religious Leaders programme to use mosques as points for education, screening and referral.
The World Diabetes Foundation says the initiative has trained 100 Imams to promote healthier lifestyles and established diabetes counselling corners in mosques, while the Centre for Global Health Research and BADAS have described related work covering 100 upazilas, or sub-districts. The programme has also been designed to improve community awareness through educational material and media outreach, with the goal of making it easier for people at risk to find help before complications develop.
The model is now being extended beyond Muslim communities. The Diabetes Voice article says the programme is being broadened to include Hindu, Christian and Buddhist groups, while the International Diabetes Federation has said it will be a key theme at the International Prevention Summit in August 2026, where a Dhaka Declaration on Faith-Based Diabetes Prevention is due to be launched. BADAS has also announced wider cooperation with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s scientific and technological arm, signalling that Bangladesh’s experiment may become part of a broader international effort to fold faith leaders into chronic disease prevention.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
