The demand of a few Muslim MBBS girl students that they be allowed to wear “long sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods” in operation theatres, to comply with their mandatory requirement of being in religious attire at all times, has not found favour with the medical fraternity.
The medical fraternity has mostly responded that the priority for patient safety and sterile protocols in operation theatres should not be compromised.
The Indian Medical Association’s response was that the sterile protocols and dress code inside operation theatres followed internationally accepted norms such as “Bare Below Elbow” policy, which had been directed at ensuring patient safety and that these should not be upset.
