Global Health Institute

The changing landscape of trust in public health systems and science—shaped by misinformation, historical injustices, and institutional challenges—reflects a broader decline in confidence in traditional institutions and expertise. To address these challenges, it is crucial to engage with trusted sources like faith communities, which provide guidance, connection, and leadership, especially for marginalized populations.

The Georgetown-Lancet Commission on Faith, Trust, and Health, housed within the Georgetown University Global Health Institute, seeks to explore the intersection of trust, faith, and health. The commission has convened a multidisciplinary group of experts, practitioners, policymakers, media influencers, and community advocates to identify evidence-based strategies for fostering trust in health systems and building equitable partnerships between faith and health actors.

This closed-door consultative session serves as a follow-up to the initial discussion held in February 2025 within the Georgetown community. The session will provide an update on the commission’s progress, including recent developments in its research framework, engagement strategies, and planned deliverables. Participants will have the opportunity to offer feedback, share insights, and contribute to refining the commission’s methods and priorities as it advances toward the first draft of the report for the Lancet. 

Featuring

Diana Rayes, Ph.D., is the program director of the Faith and Global Health Initiative at the Georgetown University Global Health Institute. Rayes is a global health scholar whose work explores the intersection of political crisis, migration, and health systems, with a particular interest in how faith shapes health-seeking behaviors and influences health policy. Her current book project explores displacement, humanitarianism, and resilience through the lens of the Syrian crisis, examining both the structural forces driving migration and the lived experiences of refugees navigating new social and political landscapes.

Amna Qayyum, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of history and women’s and gender studies at the University of Georgia, as well as a fellow of the Faith and Global Health Initiative at the Georgetown University Global Health Institute. She previously served as research program director of the Faith and Global Health Initiative. She is a scholar of global health and development whose research and teaching examine how the history of gender and medicine shape policy and practice around ethics, governance, and justice. She is currently writing a book on the history of global reproductive governance with a focus on Muslim South Asia.