INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A group of seven students of Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College have written to the principal raising
concerns over not being allowed to wear hijab inside the operation theatre and seeking permission to wear long-sleeved scrub jackets and
surgical hoods at the earliest
The letter written by a student of the 2020 MBBS batch carries signatures of six students from the 2018, 2021 and 2022 batches.The letter
says they are not allowed to cover heads inside the operation theatre and according to their religious beliefs, wearing hijab is mandatory
for Muslim women under all circumstances
"Hijab-wearing women have a difficult time finding a balance between donning the compliant religious attire and maintaining modesty while
also complying with the hospital and operation room regulations," it says.College principal Dr Linette J Morris confirmed receiving the
"They want to use long sleeves and hoods
I told them that in the long run it is not feasible as you have to scrub up for a procedure or when we assist in a procedure (wash upto the
We follow universal standards to ensure a sterile environment
I have told them that I am not in a position to decide on their request
A meeting of surgeons and infection control experts will be convened
Patient safety is of utmost priority
We will convene a committee and look at both sides and the focus will be on the safety of patients, which cannot be compromised," said Dr
Morris, an anesthetist for 32 years.The contents of the letter are similar to those of a website, Hijab in the OR, run by Dr Deena Kishawi,
a Chicago born-and-raised obstetrician and gynecologist resident physician.Bare-below-the-elbow attire policy in operating roomAccording to
the website, Dr Kishawi runs an initiative to raise awareness about barriers faced by hijab-wearing women in surgery and to create
educational material about Muslims in Medicine
operating room attireis presently followed based on the bare-below-the elbow policy and universal standards being followed in hospital areas
with sterile procedures (ASP)
of practices being followed all over the world irrespective of caste, creed or religion
We shouldn't attempt to bring religion into the medical field
Earlier, nuns used to wear their religious dress in theatres, but they went back to wearing the conventional surgical dress
Medical College, Kozhikode and national executive committee member of the Association of Surgeons of India.
