Seven female students of Thiruvananthapuram Govt Medical College have reportedly sought permission to wear hijab-like attire inside the operation theatre. The students made the demand in a letter to the principal dated June 26. A purported copy of the letter was shared on Twitter by a user @HKupdate.
The letter written by a student of the 2020 MBBS batch carried the signatures of 6 students from 2018, 2021 and 2022 batch.
The subject line of the letter reads: “Regarding the issue of wearing hijab in operation theatre”. In the letter, the girls have alleged that they are not being allowed to wear hijab inside the operation theatre which makes it difficult for hijab-wearing Muslims to find a balance between maintaining modesty and complying with hospital and operation room regulations.
“Based on alternatives for hospital personnel in other parts of the world, and based on what is available from companies that supply clothing for the operating room, alternatives can be used,” the letter reads.
The students have asked permission to wear long sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods inside the operation theatre on the grounds that these will allow them to maintain sterile precautions as well as their hijab. The letter has been written by a student named Afeefa NA and signed by seven other students.
The Principal, Dr Linette J Morris reportedly explained to the students that such a dress code could be difficult as every time they enter the operation theatre they have to scrub and sterilise their hands up to the elbow and then wear the gown. Hence wearing long sleeves could be a problem.
The Principal has said that a committee of surgeons and infection control team would be formed to discuss whether such an implementation is possible or not.
What is the set code of conduct in OR?
Both AIIMS and MoHFW have prescribed guidelines based on the universal bare-below-the-elbow policy. Hygiene and prevention of infections are the primary foundations of these guidelines.
The AIIMS Infection Control Manual dedicates a large section of its guidelines to hand hygiene alone which involves hand washing and sterilising right from the finger tip the elbow followed by protocol on hand movements and drying of hands.
Key components of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the OR include gowns, face masks, gloves, respirators, eyewear and goggles, and protective footwear. Each of these is to be worn as per due procedure and in a particular order.
The National Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare Facilities lays down the detailed surgical attire to be worn as per due procedure before entering the OR. This includes gloves, gown, mask, eyewear, cap, and footwear; each is to be worn in a particular order with an assistant to help with the dressing in order to avoid touching the sterile surfaces of the gown and gloves.
The above guidelines are all based on scientific reasoning and standards keeping the patient’s health and safety as the priority along with that of the healthcare providers. The letter is a first of its kind seeking to tweak a part of medical practice on religious grounds.
