It is a positive development that Muslim leaders are urging Muslim doctors to treat anyone, as has been the norm in the West since Hippocrates. But how many Muslim doctors will go along? And as for Dr. Naseem’s claim that this isn’t happening, it strains credulity that Dr. Qureshi would be invited to speak to 32 med schools to address a problem that does not exist. From the Birmingham Post via Muslim News, with thanks to Ali Dashti:
Officials from the Muslim Council of Britain have visited the universities of Birmingham and Warwick as part of a UK-wide tour following concerns some conservative GPs have refused to treat patients with sexually transmitted infections claiming it goes against the teachings of the Koran.
Dr Jafer Qureshi, from the Muslim Council, said he had been invited to address all 32 of the country’s medical schools on the issue.
He admitted beliefs of “illinformed conservative doctors” were a cause for “great concern” to moderate Muslims.
But doctors and Islamic lead-ers in Birmingham last night denied such practices existed among GPs….
Dr Mohammed Naseem, chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque, said he found such claims “hard to believe”.
“I have difficulty believing any doctor would refuse treatment because it would be against their duty,” he said.
“It is not their duty to decide if someone is a sinner or not.”
However, Dr Qureshi said he believed about 600 of the 30,000 medical students in Britain, about a tenth of the Muslim intake, think sexual diseases like chlamydia and Aids are punishment for immorality.