Overview

The Anglican Health Network (AHN) aims to facilitate communication and cooperation between Anglicans who are providing health services around the world. It will provide forums to share experience and best practice, and manage donor and insurance programmes to develop new investment. In this endeavour it also seeks to make connections with its healing ministries to encourage a more holistic approach to well being.
MISSION OF THE ANGLICAN HEALTH NETWORK BRIEF HISTORY
The mission of the Anglican Health Network (AHN) is to renew the ministries of healing and healthcare within the Anglican Communion. It will transform the state of healthcare for millions of impoverished communities served by Anglicans in the developing world. It will promote learning and practice on the interactions between faith and health. This mission is to be accomplished through the achievement of two specific objectives:
  1. Creation of a communication network linking Anglican healthcare facilities, healing ministries and health professionals for the purposes of aggregating data; sharing expertise, experience, theological reflection and best practices; and disseminating policy guidance from the World Health Organization and other relevant sources.

  2. Creation and support of specific programs to improve healthcare in the developing world including:

    • a micro-health insurance program to provide millions of people with low cost health cover currently unavailable to them, thereby expanding the number of low income communities which have access to simple, inexpensive but effective preventive and curative measures;

    • a program to efficiently transfer medical equipment no longer needed in the developed world to Anglican facilities in the developing world;

    • the pursuit of partnerships with government agencies and donors in which Anglican health facilities can receive improved investment and integration opportunities within national health systems;

    • the development and implementation of a training program that will teach Anglicans how to serve as advocates for better healthcare.
The motivation for this initiative originates from the simple instructions of Jesus to his disciples:

“He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick”. Luke 9 v 2


 Following presentations at the Lambeth Conference 2008, a proposal for an Anglican Health Network began to gain widespread interest. Meeting in Houston in January 2009, a range of Episcopal and Anglican representatives explored elements of potential collaboration in the hospital systems in the United States, India and Middle East. With the support of the Anglican Communion Office, Revd Paul Holley and Mr. Lee Hogan made presentations at the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in May 2009. The Council accepted a motion to welcome the development of an Anglican Health Network. The inaugural meeting took place on the 15th and 16th June in Geneva to organise the development of the network.

WHO Group Photo

The following representatives took part:
Dr. Bennet Abraham Medical Director of the Diocese of Kerala in the Church of South India
Revd Canon Dr Mwita Akiri General Secretary of the Anglican Church of Tanzania and a member of the Anglican Consultative Council
Revd Rachel Carnegie Archbishop’s Secretary for International Development at Lambeth Palace
Dr. Alan Crouch Population health consultant from Australia
Matthew Ellis Executive Director of National Episcopal Health Ministries
Claudine Haenni Dale Anglican UN Representative, Geneva
Bishop Rayford High Suffragan Bishop of Texas
Lee Hogan Recently retired as Executive Chair of the St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System in Houston, having been a board member for 19 years
Revd Paul Holley Priest-in-charge of La Côte Anglican Church and a member of the Anglican UN group in Geneva
Revd Dr. Robert Lee Chair and CEO of Fresh Ministries and Be the Change International
Dr. Hisham Nassar Medical director for the diocese of Jerusalem
Dr. Ernest Nwaigbo Medical director of Owerri diocese in Nigeria
Emmanuel Olatunji HIV/AIDS coordinator for the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA)
Canon Diane Porter Deputy for Episcopal Administration for the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island and on the board of Episcopal Health Services
Revd Terrie Robinson Networks Coordinator at the Anglican Communion Office in London