IMANA NEWS
Structural Racism and Violence is a Public Health Crisis
Imana News
June 2nd, 2020
IMANA condemns structural racism and police brutality, which has targeted minority communities, leading up to the killing of George Floyd. While not new, such racism and violence, together with the Covid-19 pandemic, has led to a public health crisis with a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities in which existing health disparities have worsened and new ones have emerged.
While many social determinants of health impact health disparities, the role of structural racism and violence has now come into greater focus and must finally be addressed. Our profession and faith guide us to acknowledge the inherent worth of our fellow brothers and sisters and reject racism:
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another” (Qur’an 49:13).
In line with our aims to promote equitable healthcare, eliminate health disparities, and stand in solidarity against violence, we are committed to working with, learning from, and being allies to partners and leaders in our community that focus on addressing and eliminating racism. We will continue to educate on health and racial disparities, promote diversity in medicine, and address public health crises. It is our responsibility as Muslim physicians of all backgrounds to acknowledge and rectify structural racism and its impact on public health.
Join local efforts in your community and masajid to uplift justice and equity for the Black community including calls to action, protests, etc.