Hijab alternative in Operation Theatre may set bad precedent
Some women students of Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram have sought permission to wear attire in line with their religious dress code inside operation theatres. The seven Muslim students, belonging to different batches, want to be allowed to wear long-sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods. As per the protocol in practice, medical students have to wear short-sleeve shirts and pants in OTs. In a letter to the college principal, they said wearing the hijab is compulsory for Muslim women. They said they have difficulty complying with their religious beliefs while following hospital and operation theatre regulations. The unusual demand has triggered a debate, and the college has formed a committee of experts to examine the request.
The demand, if allowed, could set a dangerous precedent. Already, surgeons and medical experts have strongly opposed the idea of changing the dress code and making exceptions for a few students. They say any breach in the infection-control protocol followed in hospitals, specifically operation theatres, would compromise patients’ safety. According to them, wearing full sleeves is banned because doctors must wash their hands thoroughly up to the elbow before surgery, and everyone in the theatre is part of the surgery in some way or the other; hence, all, from attendants to doctors, must follow the protocol.
The OT dress code followed by hospitals in India is adhered to globally and is part of the infection-control protocol that has evolved over time. Change, if any, can be made only for the safety and well-being of patients and not for any other reason. Even from students’ point of view, joining an institution or course by default requires them to follow the existing rules and regulations, and seeking exemptions is not the right thing to do. Medical students, especially, should understand that the sterile room is not just a concept but an absolute necessity in the profession they are training to be a part of.
Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion to all citizens, but this freedom is subject to public order, health, and morality. While the students certainly have the right to adhere to the religious dress code, it must not in any way put the patients in danger. Besides, religion is best kept away from the corridors of healthcare facilities, for practices and customs not in tune with the modern world could fall foul of contemporary medicine.