Muslim doctors in Australia say they face added scrutiny
Sydney conference examined burnout, discrimination, and professional risks of speaking out on Palestine
SYDNEY, Australia (MNTV) — Muslim healthcare workers in Australia face an extra layer of complexity atop the burnout, regulatory complaints, and public scrutiny common to the profession, leaders said at a national conference calling for stronger protections and organizational reform.
At the Australian Islamic Medical Association (AIMA) conference in Sydney, held under the theme “Caring Together,” speakers combined clinical education with Islamic perspectives on compassionate care, cultural safety, and professional responsibility, the outlet AMUST reported.
A medico-legal session led by lawyers Nick Hanna and Nikolai Haddad examined professional complaints, disciplinary processes, and social-media conduct — including the regulatory risks facing clinicians who engage in public advocacy on Palestine — and offered practical guidance for navigating employer or regulatory processes.
AIMA board chair Dr. Yousuf Ahmad said the group opposed antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all religious discrimination while defending healthcare workers’ freedom of expression, outlining work streams engaging regulators, governments, professional bodies, and legal services.
New South Wales Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerry Chant told delegates that collaboration across professions and communities was essential to better health outcomes, noting more than 2.2 million people in the state speak a language other than English at home. “Building trust requires ongoing relationships, sustained engagement, and a willingness to understand the needs and experiences of different communities,” she said.
Western Sydney University’s Professor Sarah Lewis said healthcare excellence was “not simply about clinical knowledge” but about respecting culture and ensuring safe, compassionate care for all.
A key session examined end-of-life care through an Islamic lens, with specialists discussing advance-care planning, brain death, and organ donation, including contemporary Islamic scholarly views on when donation may save lives.
Psychologist Hanan Dover, sharing her own later-in-life autism and ADHD diagnoses, urged clinicians to stop treating neurodivergence as a deficit.
“Difference is not deficit,” she said, calling for environments grounded in dignity rather than stigma.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
