A shocking incident has stirred outrage in the Sikh community after an elderly Sikh patient, Joginder Singh Kaler, had his hair shaved at Brampton Civic Hospital without his consent or the approval of his family. The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is condemning the act, calling it a violation of Kaler’s religious beliefs and personal dignity.
The incident, which occurred on August 28 or 29, involved hospital staff shaving Kaler, who had maintained his uncut hair and beard in line with Sikh religious practices throughout his life. This act, according to WSO President Danish Singh, blatantly disregards Kaler’s religious principles, which consider hair to be sacred and should remain uncut.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the treatment of Mr. Kaler,” said Singh, in a statement to Dr. Frank Martino, CEO of William Osler Health System. “His family had explicitly instructed hospital staff not to shave him, yet this egregious violation of his faith still occurred.”
Brampton, home to the largest Sikh population in Canada, is the site of Brampton Civic Hospital, making the incident even more unsettling for the community. The WSO emphasized that Kaler’s family had been contacted by the hospital regarding permission to shave him, and they had clearly refused the request. Kaler, who was unconscious and unable to provide his own consent, was still shaved despite these clear instructions from his family.
The WSO noted that this incident caused significant emotional distress and trauma to Kaler’s family, deepening the burden of an already challenging time for them. Additionally, there has been no formal apology from the hospital, with the attending physician reportedly attempting to shift the blame to the nursing staff, adding to the family’s frustration.
The William Osler Health System has confirmed that it is reviewing the situation, but this is not the first time concerns have been raised regarding the treatment of Sikh patients. The WSO claims there have been multiple instances of “insensitive treatment” and a lack of understanding of Sikh religious practices at the hospital in recent years.
“We had previously offered cultural sensitivity training to healthcare providers at William Osler to prevent such incidents,” said Singh. “Regrettably, these offers have not been taken seriously. The Sikh community has long supported the hospital, but it’s clear that more needs to be done to ensure respect and dignity for Sikh patients.”
The WSO is calling for immediate and concrete action from the William Osler Health System to prevent further violations of Sikh faith practices. The organization insists that appropriate measures be put in place to ensure that incidents like this never happen again, urging the hospital to respond promptly and effectively.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for healthcare institutions to understand and respect the diverse religious beliefs of their patients, particularly in multicultural regions like Brampton.