Sharia Alert from Chad. By Phuong Tran for VOA News, with thanks to Twostellas:
…”When a woman comes to the hospital, first her husband must be consulted about her care,” she explains. “Even if he agrees, her father must also. And her uncles. All the men have to agree. This delays the woman’s care, but we have to wait.”
Senegal-based sociologist Djiby Diakhate says Islam presents a challenge to doctors who are taught to save lives under all circumstances.
Diakhate says even though doctors take a professional vow to protect life, they must also obey cultural beliefs.
The sociologist says health care workers in Muslim countries must accept what many believe is taught by the Koran, Islam’s religious text, that a woman is completely dependent on her husband to make all important decisions.
He says for the patient who lost her baby, the midwives could have saved the child’s life, but he says they chose to follow tradition to not risk angering God.
Diakhate says Muslims prefer to follow traditions, preferring to sacrifice the life of one child rather than face widespread death and retaliation from an angry God and ancestors.