A passionate call for health equity echoed through
Antioch Bible Fellowship Church on Saturday. The Rev. Jamal Bryant encouraged a Raleigh
crowd to take control of their health as state and federal funding cuts
threaten essential health services.
“Cuts are very concerning,”
said attendee Bobette Willis. “It can impact locally, on the state level.
People should be mindful of that. We have to realize that our local workers are
the heartbeat of our community.”
Bryant’s speech is part of the “Healthy Churches 2030”
tour.
Panelists asked doctors, healthcare providers and faith leaders to work
together to improve health conditions in minority communities.
“We have to come together as
community and make people aware of those resources,” said CEO of Balm in Gilead
Pernessa Seale. “The healthcare professionals, the faith professional and individuals must come together and teach each other and support each other.”
The tour, now in its 11th year, is a traveling to
Louisiana in April. It’s a caravan also includes health information and
resources for those that attended the discussions.
“We want every church to have
a health ministry,” said Seale. “When you have a health ministry and the
community knows that, you can go to that church and they have resources.”
