Kerala female medicos seek ’surgical hoods’ as alternative to hijab inside OT

In Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, a group of female Muslim MBBS students from the Government Medical College have expressed concern on not being allowed to wear hijab inside operation theatres(OT). The medicos sought an approval to wear long-sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods at the earliest.

According to the reason cited, as part of their religious belief they have to cover their heads at all times and it is not possible to wear hijab inside the operation theatre (OT). So they looked at alternate options.

A woman medico, belonging to the 2020 batch, wrote a letter to principal Dr Linnette J Morris on June 26, citing the matter. The request letter was also signed by six other female medical students from different batches of the college. In the letter, the students complained that they were not allowed to cover their heads inside the operation theatre. "According to our religious belief, wearing hijab is mandatory for Muslim women under all circumstances," they said. Hijab-wearing Muslims have a difficult time finding a balance between donning compliant religious attire and maintaining modesty while complying with hospital and operation room regulations, they said as reported by news agency PTI.

According to the principal, she explained to the students how it could be difficult as every time they enter the OT they have to scrub and sterilise their hands up to the elbow and then wear the gown. So wearing long sleeves could be a problem.

"We cannot simply cross over the existing procedures and practices inside operation theatres. I explained to them all the problems involved in it," the principal told PTI. To address the concerns of the students, Morris said she assured them she would form a committee of surgeons to look into the matter. "There is an infection control team comprising the staff nurse, microbiologist, and all. I told the students that we would discuss the pros and cons of the matter and let them know about the final outcome," she said. An anaesthetist by profession, the college principal said the safety of patients cannot be compromised.

*With agency inputs