Long coats and scarfs now obligated by ministry
Diana Al-Jassem Saudi Gazette
Jeddah – Hospitals now require nurses to wear government approved coat and a head scarf at all times while working
Ministry of Health released a directive obligating nurses to wear new long coats covering their bodies, full sleeves and white scarves to cover their hair.
Expatriate nurses in the Kingdom have objected to wearing head coverings while working because they say they used to wear long tunics which covered their bodies. The Ministry of Health issued its ruling to start the use of a new coat with specific details which should never be changed.
Nurses are complaining stating it is a decision which infringes on their personal freedom.
“I work in a private hospital and I don’t see the purpose of this decision because I never wear a scarf nor do I know how to wear it,” said Aimy Early, a Christian Filipino nurse in the Kingdom.
Wearing coat that fits with the Islamic rules is not a new decision, instead the coat will be obligatory in government and private hospitals.
“Most of the nurses are wearing clothes for a long time that do not infringe on Islamic rules; but we still want to ensure that they wear the coat in the government and private hospitals,” said Abdulrahamn Al-Sahafi, public relations manager for the Jeddah Health Affairs.
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