Muslim nurses working at psychiatric hospitals permitted to wear hijab
By: Adnan Adams Mohammed
In a new directive from the Mental Health Authority, female Muslim
nurses working in any of the psychiatric hospitals in the country (Pantang,
Accra and Ankaful) are free to wear their hijab’s at work.
This is relief and good news to the female Muslim Nurses in
the country as they are now free to exercise their Religious Constitutional
Right.
This news comes days after a Senior Nursing Officer with the Accra Psychiatric hospital,
who was punished at her work place for wearing hijab at work was officially
reinstated back to her former place of duty. Several stakeholders got involved and agitated against
the decision of her supposed demotion.
The Minister
of Inner Cities and Zongo Development, Hon. Mustapha Abdul Hamid, MUYAD Social
Services, some human right activists and other Muslim bodies did not take the
matter lightly as they saw the decision of the hospital as an affront to the
constitutional right of Adiza Ibrahim.
“All Muslim staff are free to wear their hijab to and at
work. They should not be restrained. However, in the next couple of weeks the
Mental Health Authority shall convene a consultative meeting on the way forward
with the hijab regarding safety and precautionary measures. This policy will
cover dress code generally to take care of Constitutional Provisions of Freedom
of belief and dress while addressing workplace safety. In the meantime please
take note and allow the wearing of hijab”, a letter signed by Dr Akwasi Osei,
Chief Executive of Mental Health Authority, to all Psychiatric Hospital
directors.
Already, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have
issued circulars to reinforce their directives issued in 2015 directing all
heads of health institutions to allow the Muslims to wear their hijab at Work and
in Schools.
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