Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has finally reacted to the demands of some medical students seeking permission to wear hijab in operation theaters. The Health Minister, Veena George, while rejecting the medicos’ demands, said that the life of the patient is important in an operation theater and that international guidelines must be followed.
Some female students belonging to the Muslim community studying at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College wrote a letter to the principal seeking permission to wear the head covering and long sleeve jackets inside operation theaters. However, Veena George has refuted their demands and said that there is no need for hijab inside an operation theater.
The Health Minister said that international guidelines must be followed. This is purely technical and the need to protect the patient from infection must be given paramount importance.
The principal of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College and the Indian Medical Association had rejected the students’ demands earlier. The doctors’ stand was that covering the whole body will lead to infections.
The principal of the medical college received the letter, demanding use of hijab in operation theaters, on June 26. The letter was signed by several medical students from different batches at the medical college.
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