Welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter! We hope you are all in the best of health and Iman. We’re excited to bring you fresh insights and updates that reflect the dynamic work BIMA has been involved in.
Alhamdulillah it has been a busy month for us here at BIMA with our flagship Lifesavers event taking place on 28th September! This year alhamdulillah we had over 110 mosques and community centres sign up with hundreds of attendees taught basic life support, delivered in local languages up and down the UK. We were fortunate to host our inaugural lifesavers event in Northern Ireland. BIMA has been fortunate to support the expansion of this vital project across the world with Lifesavers being delivered across 5 continents, entirely delivered by volunteers.
As always, our volunteers have been working in the background ensuring our cancer, ramadan and mental health teams develop a collaborative and comprehensive approach to how we deliver health advice to our communities through the Health Offer. Our Mindsavers project continues to allow discussions around faith centred mental health awareness take centre stage in mosques where traditionally our communities have faced barriers accessing resources to address these issues. Our student team (SBIMA) have been busy hosting meetings to create awareness of opportunities for students to take part in our organisational activities and mentoring, do keep an eye out on our upcoming development roadshows where will be delivering goal setting workshops at an Isoc near you!
Our advocacy work has continued with discussions with key stakeholders and regulators and we are pleased to have been referenced in the Baroness Warsi’s new book, ‘Muslims don't matter’, citing our role in highlighting the challenges experienced by Muslim healthcare professionals. In light of recent events in the UK and rising Islamophobia, it is an essential read and no doubt conversation provoking.
For any sisters interested in meeting some of our members and networking with like-minded individuals, then please do attend the women's retreat in Birmingham on 19th October.
We pray you find this edition both enjoyable and insightful.
JazakAllah Khayrun, Dr. Qasim Malik Executive Director Senior Leadership Team of BIMA
September Highlights
Lifesavers 2024 Roundup
For the 11th year in a row, BIMA, with the help of near 700 volunteers taught Basic Life Support skills in 115 mosques across the UK on 28th September 2024.
Globally, Lifesavers workshops took place in 22 countries on the same day in an extraordinary display of unity of Muslim healthcare professionals.
What started with 3 mosques in London 11 years ago is now a global phenomenon, mashaAllah.
Unite.Inspire.Serve.
#FIMALifesavers #BIMALifesavers
JBIMA Autumn Edition
JBIMA's latest edition is out now online! Read to gain knowledge about healthcare experiences in Gaza, bioethics in milk donation, and Islamic history of ophthalmology. Also included in this edition are successful abstract submissions from the BIMA National Conference 2024.
Visit jbima.com to read articles and find out how to submit an abstract or a paper.
Mindsavers Workshops
Our amazing mental health team have completed the 3 Mindsavers Mosque Workshop Pilots; in London, Lincoln and Leeds. They presented a bespoke mental health and wellbeing framework for Muslims. Alhamdulillah, they were a remarkable success, with participants from a wide range of backgrounds. We received great feedback from those who attended these workshops. One attendee said, 'It was a lovely workshop, perfect for the community being simple and easy to follow and implement.’
Insha Allah this programme is being rolled out to more mosques in November. If you would like to help deliver this workshop in a masjid near you or know a masjid that might be interested, please do register your interest below.
We have updated our flu vaccination resources, explaining the benefits of flu vaccination, the Islamic position on taking up the vaccine, and how to weigh up whether your children should have the nasal spray vaccine given the porcine gelatine content and conflict with a halal diet.
Changes to the Death Certification process and its implications on timely burials
Starting from the 9th of September 2024, a new statutory system for Medical Examiners will be implemented in England and Wales to ensure the accuracy and scrutiny of death certifications. This will have implications for timely burials within faith communities. British Islamic Medical Association and National Burial Council discuss these changes in this really important webinar.
Organ Donation Week was held from 23rd to 29th September 2024. Our Blood and Organ Donation team produced informative infographics and excellent patient videos highlighting the effect of organ donation on patients and relatives and why it is important for all Muslims to have discussions with their families and to consider organ donation.
sBIMA proudly hosted a dynamic networking session at the National Conference 2024. Students had the opportunity to meet healthcare professionals from different fields and seek tailored advice for their career plans. Stay tuned for further mentoring and networking opportunities including the sBIMA Roadshow and the XCeed Development day on the 14th of December in London - save the date!
Community Award
BIMA won the "Community Initiative of the Year" award at the National BAME Health & Care Awards in September 2024.
Handing over the award to BIMA President - Dr Salman Waqar judges said "This individual and their organisation have made significant strides in inclusive community engagement, particularly in health education and promotion, benefiting individuals who might not typically access health services Their approach underscores the importance of addressing health disparities through a holistic lens, considering the unique needs of ethnic minority communities. This project is focused on fostering meaningful improvements in health but comes by adopting a comprehensive strategy that bridges gaps in healthcare access and understanding for marginalised populations. "
Upcoming Events
BIMA at Global Peace and Unity Festival 2024
The GPU is the largest Islamic event in the UK, with over 100,000 attendees. It’s a family event with speakers, nasheeds, and an Islamic business exhibition. This year it's happening on 19th & 20th October 2024 at ExCel London.
BIMA has been invited to facilitate a health stand providing health promotion and health checks.
We are looking for volunteers to support on the day, so if you are interested, please fill out the details below.
Free entry to exhibition space and conference for those volunteering and discount to nasheed concert available.
Join us for a day full of inspiring talks, team-building activities, and meaningful discussions on building a Muslimah community & tackling workplace challenges.
This November our volunteers will be presenting cancer screening workshops in Mosques across the country, with a particular emphasis on cancers such as breast, cervical and bowel cancer.
Our dedicated cancer screening team are busy preparing the presentation and toolkit. Stay tuned for more information!
ACE Your Pharmacy Career
Join BIMA on Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, in London for a FREE event designed for pharmacy professionals. Hear from renowned speakers from leadership, industry, and technology, and network with others in the field. Whether you're looking for a new role, interested in learning about different sectors, or newly qualified, this event is for you!
There are 40+ BIMA professional and regional WhatsApp groups that you can benefit from. These groups are a chance to network and discuss topical issues with colleagues in your professional area(s) and/or region.
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