Helping hijabi healthcare workers to maintain sanitation, a British medical company has developed a new range of ‘culturally appropriate PPE’ headwear to help the UK’s medical and care professionals combat against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We quickly identified that culturally appropriate PPE – especially headgear – wasn’t available to those with religious or cultural beliefs,” said Pete Jarvis, Managing Director of Contechs, Asian Image reported.
“Indeed, this isn’t just limited to medical environments, it’s the same for any situation where hair has to be covered such as scientific research labs and food preparation areas, for example.”
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“Contechs’ innovative and forward-thinking approach therefore allowed us to diversify and expand our PPE products for medical and healthcare professionals across the UK.
“We’re proud to be supplying Britain’s brave key workers and medical staff with high-quality culturally appropriate protective equipment during their fight against the epidemic, making their working lives easier and making those with cultural or religious requirements to feel more comfortable.”
The PPE Hijab is for single use only, but can be developed into reusable material and fully recyclable.
Originally designed and developed for UHB, Contechs Medical is currently in the process of initially pushing the PPE out to all of the Trusts within the West Midlands and is also planning to distribute nationally.
“It is quite astonishing that this need has not been catered for yet so it’s great to see companies such as Contechs applying an innovative and culturally sensitive approach to PPE in order to make medical and healthcare professionals feel more comfortable in the workplace,” Simon Clarke, Managing Director, BHA Shared Procurement Services said.
Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations.
This is not the first company to produce disposable hijabs for Muslims healthcare workers.
Last year, Minnesota fashion designer and owner of Henna & Hijabs, a boutique specializing in organic henna and handcrafted hijabs, designed a sanitary hijab that could be easily washed and safely reused.